Review of PrEP Prioritization in Africa
Author Information
Author(s): Lauren A. Graybill, Caroline N. McKay, Jiayu Wang, Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, Marcel Yotebieng, Friday Saidi, Linda-Gail Bekker, Bonnie E. Shook-Sa, Benjamin H. Chi, Nora E. Rosenberg
Primary Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Hypothesis
What populations are prioritized for PrEP in national guidelines across African countries?
Conclusion
The review found that while many African countries prioritize key populations for PrEP, inconsistencies exist in eligibility criteria and implementation guidance.
Supporting Evidence
- All 19 countries prioritized HIV-serodifferent couples, female sex workers, adolescent girls and young women, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people who inject drugs for PrEP.
- Most countries also prioritized men who have sex with men, transgender people, and people in prisons for PrEP.
- Variability was observed in eligibility criteria for PrEP across different policy documents within the same country.
Takeaway
This study looked at which groups of people are considered most at risk for HIV and should get special medicine to help prevent it in 19 African countries.
Methodology
The authors reviewed national HIV treatment and prevention guidelines, strategic plans, and PEPFAR country operational plans from 19 African countries to identify prioritized populations for PrEP.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on national documents that may not reflect actual practices or local contexts.
Limitations
The study only included documents from countries with PEPFAR-supported PrEP programs and did not assess the actual implementation of the policies.
Participant Demographics
The review included data from 19 African countries implementing PrEP programs.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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