Understanding Oral Prep Interest among South African Adolescents: The Role of Perceived Parental Support and PrEP Stigma

Citation

Giovenco, Danielle; Pettifor, Audrey E.; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Filiatreau, Lindsey M.; Liu, Tao; Akande, Morayo; Gill, Katherine; Atujuna, Millicent; Stein, Dan J.; & Kuo, Caroline (2023). Understanding Oral Prep Interest among South African Adolescents: The Role of Perceived Parental Support and PrEP Stigma. AIDS and Behavior, 27(6), 1906-1913. PMCID: PMC10149574

Abstract

We examined oral PrEP interest among adolescents and its association with perceived parental support and PrEP stigma. Cross-sectional data were collected during baseline procedures of the "Our Family Our Future" intervention trial in South Africa. Adolescents (14-16 years) at elevated risk for acquiring HIV and their parents or caregivers were dyadically enrolled from 2018 to 2021. There were 879 complete adolescent-parent dyads. Among adolescents, 27% had heard about PrEP, 67% reported they would want to use PrEP, and 58% thought their parent would want them to use PrEP. Among parents, 33% had heard about PrEP and 85% reported they would want their adolescent to use PrEP. Adolescents who thought their parent would want them to use PrEP were more likely to be interested in PrEP than adolescents who thought their parent would not want them to use PrEP (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 2.11, 95% CI 1.82, 2.44). Further, adolescents with higher average PrEP stigma scores above the adolescent sample median were less likely to be interested in PrEP than adolescents with lower average PrEP stigma scores (aPR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.72, 0.91). In conclusion, parents were more supportive of their adolescent taking PrEP than adolescents perceived they would be, and perceptions of low parental support and greater PrEP stigma were associated with reduced PrEP interest among adolescents. Interventions should aim to improve adolescent-parent communication around sexual health and effective HIV prevention tools.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-022-03924-x

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2023

Journal Title

AIDS and Behavior

Author(s)

Giovenco, Danielle
Pettifor, Audrey E.
Bekker, Linda-Gail
Filiatreau, Lindsey M.
Liu, Tao
Akande, Morayo
Gill, Katherine
Atujuna, Millicent
Stein, Dan J.
Kuo, Caroline

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10149574

Data Set/Study

Our Family Our Future Trial

Continent/Country

South Africa

ORCiD

Pettifor - 0000-0002-3387-0817
Filiatreau - 0000-0002-0355-4477