Assessing overall PrEP uptake, daily PrEP and event-driven PrEP use among men who have sex with men in 15 countries across Asia.

BACKGROUND

Event-driven PrEP (ED-PrEP) is an established method of preventing HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM).

METHODS

This analysis seeks to assess overall PrEP uptake and PrEP dosing regimen (daily or ED-PrEP) using survey data from the PrEP APPEAL study, an online cross-sectional survey of MSM across 15 countries in Asia.

RESULTS

Among 15,012 cisgender MSM, 12,050 (80.3%) were aware of PrEP, 12,264 (81.7%) were not currently taking PrEP, 941 (6.3%) were taking ED-PrEP and 1742 (11.6%) were taking daily PrEP. Among current PrEP users (n = 2683), Lao People's Democratic Republic (17/23, 73.9%), Taiwan (252/359, 70.2%) and Japan (105/184, 57.1%) had the highest proportion of ED-PrEP users. Compared with ED-PrEP users, factors independently positively associated with non-PrEP users included identifying as bisexual and condomless vaginal sex, whereas factors negatively associated with non-PrEP users included living in a high-income country, having a university education, receiving an HIV test in the past 12 months, knowing people with a positive attitude about PrEP, having more sexual partners, condomless anal sex and chemsex. Compared with ED-PrEP users, factors independently positively associated with daily PrEP included being in a romantic relationship and receiving an HIV test or STI diagnosis in the past 12 months, and factors negatively associated with daily PrEP users included living in a high-income country, having a university education and chemsex.

CONCLUSION

More work is needed to promote general PrEP uptake across the region and to promote choice of PrEP dosing regimen to suit the HIV prevention needs of the individual.