ArticleSexually transmitted infections2025
Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men and transgender women in Belgium: awareness, use and antimicrobial resistance concerns in a cross-sectional online survey.
Article in Sexually transmitted infections, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Appropriate use of Doxy-PEP and inappropriate antibiotic self-medication for STI management: insights from a LGBTQIA+ survey in Italy.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Doxy-PEP interest, awareness, and use among sexual and gender minorities in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru: findings from a web-based survey.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Article
- Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis in China: current utilized situation among men who have sex with men in a cross-sectional online survey from two cites.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Switching From Dual to Monotherapy for Gonorrhea is Associated With a Halving of Gonococcal Resistance to Azithromycin-A Modelling Study of MSM in Belgium.Open forum infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Chemsex and its impact on gay and bisexual men who have sex with men: Findings from an online survey in Belgium.HIV medicine · 2025Article
- Treponema pallidum infection in asymptomatic persons: A puzzling scenario in the Canary Islands (Spain) (2001-2020).PloS one · 2025Article
- Doxycycline prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections prevention among men who have sex with men in China.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Where we stand on doxyPEP depends on where we sit: a viewpoint.Frontiers in microbiology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesWe aimed to assess the awareness, willingness to use and use of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in Belgium. Additionally, we aimed to identify factors associated with doxyPEP use and concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
methodsCross-sectional online survey among MSM and TGW in Belgium in April 2024. Participants were recruited through sexual networking applications and social media of community-based organisations. Numerical variables were compared with Wilcoxon rank-sum test and categorical variables with χ
results875 individuals initiated the survey. Almost all identified as men (860/875, 98.3%) with a median age of 40 years (IQR 32-48), 40.4% (n=352/875) had heard of doxyPEP and 9.4% (n=82/875) had used it, among whom the majority used it within the previous 6 months (70/81, 86.4%). In multivariable logistic regression, doxyPEP use was associated with reporting ≥1 sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the previous 12 months, engagement in chemsex, HIV status and pre-exposure prophylaxis use, and education level.About 80% of the participants initially reported being willing to use doxyPEP, and about 50% reported being concerned about side effects. After reading about the potential effects of doxyPEP on AMR, willingness to use decreased to 60% and concerns of side effects/AMR increased to around 70%.
conclusionsApproximately 1 in 10 MSM in Belgium reported using doxyPEP. A recent history of STIs and STI risk factors were positively associated with doxyPEP use. Importantly, concerns about AMR and side effect influenced willingness to use doxyPEP. If doxyPEP is introduced, informing patients about doxyPEP benefits and risks is crucial to enable informed decision-making.
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