Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Corneli, A; Perry, B; Ngoje, DO; Molokwu, N; Strack, R; Agot, K
Published in: AIDS Patient Care STDS
October 2022

The concept "seasons of risk" promotes use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) only during periods of HIV risk. PrEP guidelines are aligned on daily use in women having vaginal sex during a risk period, and daily use for 28 days after the last potential exposure is recommended. However, when starting a "season of risk," guidelines vary on "time to protection," and unknowns remain in pharmacological research on PrEP protection in this population. During our iterative research on PrEP persistence using photovoice and in-depth interviews, we identified an ineffective pattern of PrEP use based on current guidelines-that is, routine, episodic use-among young cisgender women (YCW) in Siaya County, Kenya. Through same-group (n = 33 participants) and mixed-group (n = 31 participants) photovoice activities with YCW taking PrEP and female peers, participants explained that YCW associate their HIV risk with the sexual behaviors of their male partners who frequently travel from home. PrEP is considered unnecessary when partners are away because of no perceived risk. YCW re-start PrEP on or around the day of their partners' return because of heightened risk perceptions. Among the YCW interviewed (n = 18), nearly all of their partners traveled for about 1 week to 1 month at a time; about one-third of these women reported stopping PrEP during their partners' absence and re-starting it soon before or immediately upon their partners' arrival home. Additional research is critically needed to better inform PrEP guidelines and the decisions adolescent girls and young women make on how to use PrEP based on their risk context. In the interim, counseling on current dosing guidance when stopping and re-starting PrEP within a "season of risk" is needed.

Duke Scholars

Published In

AIDS Patient Care STDS

DOI

EISSN

1557-7449

Publication Date

October 2022

Volume

36

Issue

10

Start / End Page

379 / 388

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virology
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
  • Male
  • Kenya
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Adolescent
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Corneli, A., Perry, B., Ngoje, D. O., Molokwu, N., Strack, R., & Agot, K. (2022). Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya. AIDS Patient Care STDS, 36(10), 379–388. https://doi.org/10.1089/apc.2022.0076
Corneli, Amy, Brian Perry, Duncan Ochieng Ngoje, Nneka Molokwu, Robert Strack, and Kawango Agot. “Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya.AIDS Patient Care STDS 36, no. 10 (October 2022): 379–88. https://doi.org/10.1089/apc.2022.0076.
Corneli A, Perry B, Ngoje DO, Molokwu N, Strack R, Agot K. Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2022 Oct;36(10):379–88.
Corneli, Amy, et al. “Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya.AIDS Patient Care STDS, vol. 36, no. 10, Oct. 2022, pp. 379–88. Pubmed, doi:10.1089/apc.2022.0076.
Corneli A, Perry B, Ngoje DO, Molokwu N, Strack R, Agot K. Episodic Use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Cisgender Women in Siaya County, Kenya. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2022 Oct;36(10):379–388.
Journal cover image

Published In

AIDS Patient Care STDS

DOI

EISSN

1557-7449

Publication Date

October 2022

Volume

36

Issue

10

Start / End Page

379 / 388

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Virology
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
  • Male
  • Kenya
  • Humans
  • HIV Infections
  • Female
  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Adolescent