Knowledge on sexually transmitted infections among HIV-pre-exposure prophylaxis users in Nairobi city county, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20232358Keywords:
HIV-PrEP users, Knowledge, Preventive education, STIAbstract
Background: Sexually transmitted infections remain a significant public health problem mainly in low-income countries. Despite the high efficacy of HIV-PrEP, an upsurge of STIs is recorded globally after HIV-PrEP introduction due to sexual behaviour change among the users. Nairobi has the highest rate of HIV-PrEP uptake and large number of HIV-PrEP users visit health facilities to get treatment for STIs. This study aimed to assess knowledge on STIs among HIV-PrEP users in Nairobi, Kenya.
Methods: Analytical cross-sectional research design was employed. Simple random sampling technique was adopted to obtain a sample size of 357 respondents seeking HIV-PrEP service in five health facilities in Nairobi, from July to November 2022. The study used primary data which was collected using structured questionnaire and secondary data (laboratory results).
Results: Most of the respondent were knowledgeable about STIs occurrence. 56.7% of the respondents knew that STIs could be transmitted through sex without using condom, 43.3% knew that sex with sex workers could make one get STIs, 58.7% of the respondents were aware that STIs could be transmitted through sexual contact with multiple partners. A statistically significant association was found between STI related level of knowledge and STIs prevalence among HIV-PrEP users in Nairobi.
Conclusions: The knowledge about STIs among HIV-PrEP users in Nairobi does not translate into safe sexual behaviour against STIs. The study recommends that the facility management and service providers should encourage HIV-PrEP users to undertake routine STIs screening tests and treatment as well as frequent safe sexual behaviour awareness creation education.
References
Unemo M, Bradshaw CS, Hocking JS, de Vries HJ, Francis SC, Mabey D, et al. Sexually transmitted infections: challenges ahead. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017;17(8):e235-79.
Lujan AL, Croci DO, Rabinovich GA, Damiani MT. Galectins as potential therapeutic targets in STIs in the female genital tract. Nature Revi Urol. 2022;19(4):240-52.
Soriano V, Del Romero J. Rebound in sexually transmitted infections following the success of antiretrovirals for HIV/AIDS. AIDS Revi. 2018;20(4):187-204.
Looker KJ, Magaret AS, Turner KM, Vickerman P, Gottlieb SL, Newman LM. Global estimates of prevalent and incident herpes simplex virus type 2 infections in 2012. PloS one. 2015;10(1):e114989.
Saito A, Karama M, Kamiya Y. HIV infection, and overweight and hypertension: a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected adults in Western Kenya. Trop Med Heal. 2020;48(1):1-2.
Nacht C, Agingu W, Otieno F, Odhiambo F, Mehta SD. Antimicrobial resistance patterns in Neisseria gonorrhoeae among male clients of a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Kisumu, Kenya. Inter J STD AIDS. 2020;31(1):46-52.
Jasovský D, Littmann J, Zorzet A, Cars O. Antimicrobial resistance-a threat to the world’s sustainable development. Upsala J Med Sci. 2016;121(3):159-64.
World Health Organization. Global progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2021: accountability for the global health sector strategies 2016–2021: actions for impact.
Subbarao NT, Akhilesh A. Knowledge and attitude about sexually transmitted infections other than HIV among college students. Indian J S Transm Dis AIDS. 2017;38(1):10.
Ya-lin AH, Zhu W, Smith DK, Harris N, Hoover KW. HIV preexposure prophylaxis, by race and ethnicity-United States, 2014–2016. Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep. 2018;67(41):1147.
Koss CA, Havlir DV, Ayieko J, Kwarisiima D, Kabami J, Chamie G, et al. HIV incidence after pre-exposure prophylaxis initiation among women and men at elevated HIV risk: A population-based study in rural Kenya and Uganda. PLoS Medi. 2021;18(2):e1003492.
Caponi M, Burgess C, Leatherwood A, Molano LF. Demographic characteristics associated with the use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in an urban, community health center. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2019;15:100889.
Ginindza TG, Stefan CD, Tsoka-Gwegweni JM, Dlamini X, Jolly PE, Weiderpass E, et al. Prevalence and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among women of reproductive age in Swaziland. Infect Ag Canc. 2017;12(1):1-2.
Musyoki H, Kellogg TA, Geibel S, Muraguri N, Okal J, Tun W, et al. Prevalence of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and risk behaviours among female sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya: results of a respondent driven sampling study. AIDS Behav. 2015;19(1):46-58.
Maina AN, Kimani J, Anzala O. Prevalence and risk factors of three curable sexually transmitted infections among women in Nairobi, Kenya. BMC research notes. 2016;9(1):1-5.
Mayanja Y, Lunkuse J, Kalungi H, Senyonga W, Kamacooko O, Ruzagira E. P135 High prevalence of curable sexually transmitted infections among 14–19 year old adolescents at risk of HIV infection in Kampala, Uganda. 2021;97(1):A1–A186.
Winston SE, Chirchir AK, Muthoni LN, Ayuku D, Koech J, Nyandiko W, et al. Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections including HIV in street-connected adolescents in western Kenya. Sexual transm infect. 2015;91(5):353-9.
Folasayo AT, Oluwasegun AJ, Samsudin S, Saudi SN, Osman M, Hamat RA. Assessing the knowledge level, attitudes, risky behaviors and preventive practices on sexually transmitted diseases among university students as future healthcare providers in the central zone of Malaysia: a cross-sectional study. Inter J Environm Res Pub Heal. 2017;14(2):159.
Mansor N, Ahmad N, Rahman HA. Determinants of knowledge on sexually transmitted infections among students in public higher education institutions in Melaka state, Malaysia. PloS one. 2020;15(10):e0240842.
Nigussie T, Yosef T. Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and its associated factors among polytechnic college students in Southwest Ethiopia. Pan Afr Med J. 2020;37(1).
Amu EO, Adegun PT. Awareness and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections among secondary school adolescents in Ado Ekiti, South Western Nigeria. J Sexual Transm Dis. 2015;2015:260126.
Svensson L, Waern S. Knowledge of and attitudes to sexually transmitted diseases among Thai university students. Uppsala Univer. 2013:1-36.
Samkange-Zeeb F, Mikolajczyk RT, Zeeb H. Awareness and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases among secondary school students in two German cities. J Comm Heal. 2013;38(2):293-300.
Zachariah R, Nkhoma W, Harries AD, Arendt V, Chantulo A, Spielmann MP, et al. Health seeking and sexual behaviour in patients with sexually transmitted infections: the importance of traditional healers in Thyolo, Malawi. Sexual transmit infect. 2002;78(2):127-9.
Govender I, Eche M. Health-seeking behaviour of people with sexually transmitted infections in the community of Nkomazi East, Mpumalanga. Southern Afr J Epidemiol Infect. 2012;27(4):195-8.
Subbarao NT, Akhilesh A. Knowledge and attitude about sexually transmitted infections other than HIV among college students. Ind J Sexual Transmit Dis AIDS. 2017;38(1):10.
