HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
- \(\bf Aims:\) Since 2017, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care has been provided through an intersectoral collaboration at WIR (Walk-in-Ruhr, Center for Sexual Health and Medicine, Bochum, Germany). The aim of this study was to establish possible impact of COVID-restrictions on the sexual behavior of PrEP users in North Rhine-Westphalia. \(\bf Methods:\) The current PrEP study collected data of individuals using PrEP, their sexual behavior and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) before (each quarter of year 2018) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (each quarter of year 2020). \(\bf Results:\) During the first lockdown in Germany from mid-March until May 2020, PrEP-care appointments at WIR were postponed or canceled. Almost a third of PrEP users had discontinued their PrEP intake in the \(2^{nd}\) quarter of 2020 due to alteration of their sexual behavior. The number of sexual partners decreased from a median of 14 partners in the previous 6 months in \(1^{st}\) quarter of 2020, to 7 partners in \(4^{th}\) quarter of 2020. Despite such a significant reduction in partner number during the pandemic in comparison to the pre-pandemic period, a steady rate of STIs was observed among PrEP users in 2020. \(\bf Conclusion:\9 The SARS-CoV-2-pandemic has impacted PrEP-using MSM in North Rhine-Westphalia with respect to their PrEP intake regimen and sexual behavior in 2020. Our study revealed a steady rate of STI among PrEP users even during the pandemic, thus highlighting the importance of ensuring appropriate HIV/STI prevention services in times of crisis.
Author: | Mona UhrmacherGND, Adriane Skaletz-RorowskiORCiDGND, Sandeep NambiarGND, Axel J. SchmidtORCiDGND, Patrick AhausGND, Katja SerovaGND, Isabel MordhorstGND, Arne KayserGND, Janet WachGND, Carsten TiemannORCiDGND, Dieter MünstermannGND, Norbert BrockmeyerORCiDGND, Anja Verena PotthoffORCiDGND |
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URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-102689 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.930208 |
Parent Title (English): | Frontiers in public health |
Subtitle (English): | results from a prospective observational study in Germany |
Publisher: | Frontiers Media |
Place of publication: | Lausanne, Schweiz |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2023/10/24 |
Date of first Publication: | 2022/08/24 |
Publishing Institution: | Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek |
Tag: | Open Access Fonds Chemsex drugs; HIV; MSM; SARS-CoV-2; pandemic (COVID-19); pre-exposure prophylaxis; sexual behavior; sexual transmission infection |
Volume: | 10 |
Issue: | Article 930208 |
First Page: | 930208-1 |
Last Page: | 930208-11 |
Note: | Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum. |
Institutes/Facilities: | Zentrum für Sexuelle Gesundheit und Medizin, Walk In Ruhr (WIR) |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Medizin, Gesundheit |
open_access (DINI-Set): | open_access |
Licence (English): | Creative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International |