ArticleJournal of the International AIDS Society2025
"People have options": a qualitative study of experiences and influences of PrEP choice among women in South Africa.
Article in Journal of the International AIDS Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence and discontinuation: a global systematic review and meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- Long-Acting HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Preferences Through Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period Among Women in Kenya: A Latent Transition Analysis.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- Preparedness of Primary Health Care Clinic (PHCC) Providers for the Provision of Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW): Experiences from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2026Article
- "I Just Stopped Taking PrEP Without a Reason": Understanding PrEP Decision-Making Amongst South African Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW).AIDS and behavior · 2025Article
- Supporting Oral and Long-Acting HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Decision-Making Among Pregnant Women (MyChoice Intervention): Protocol for 2 Pilot Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR research protocols · 2025Article
- Expanding access to a choice-based multi-method PrEP market for HIV prevention.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionLong-acting injectable cabotegravir and dapivirine vaginal ring were recently introduced in South Africa through demonstration projects, providing additional HIV prevention options to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP choice marks a pivotal moment in HIV prevention, potentially increasing PrEP uptake and use by offering women a choice of methods best suited to their individual needs. Understanding experiences of PrEP choice in real-world settings is critical to informing the introduction of PrEP choice at scale. This study, embedded within an implementation science study introducing new PrEP methods, explores women's experiences of PrEP choice counselling, and factors influencing PrEP choice.
methodsBetween April and May 2024, we conducted 12 focus group discussions with a sub-set of 126 women (18-57 years) enrolled in a parent cohort study delivering PrEP choice at six fixed and three roving mobile clinics in three areas of South Africa. Cohort participants are HIV-negative men and women ≥ 15 years interested in HIV prevention services. At the time of data collection, non-pregnant and lactating women ≥ 18 years enrolled in the cohort were provided PrEP choice counselling and offered a choice of oral PrEP or dapivirine vaginal ring. Discussions explored women's experiences of PrEP choice counselling and influences of PrEP choice. They were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English for thematic analysis.
resultsWomen reported positive choice counselling experiences, particularly when it was supplemented by pamphlets, demonstration rings and pelvic models. Participants valued learning about alternative PrEP methods and appreciated friendly healthcare providers who answered their questions. Privacy and emotional support were also crucial. However, negative experiences included the use of complex scientific jargon and insufficient information on PrEP's potential drawbacks. PrEP choices were mainly influenced by concerns about intravaginal products, distrust of new methods, prior oral PrEP experiences, and partner and family opinions.
conclusionsThese findings will guide strategies for PrEP delivery, emphasizing provider training, effective counselling tools and tailored communication. Women valued clear, jargon-free information, visual aids and a welcoming environment, which supported open dialogue. The influence of prior oral PrEP experiences on PrEP choice highlights the need for counselling that addresses specific concerns and preferences.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.