Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40622362›Full record

ArticleJournal of the International AIDS Society2025

Improving PrEP access for adolescent girls and young women: a descriptive analysis of community-based PrEP delivery in the DREAMS programme in Zambia.

Maurice Musheke, Jake M Pry, Izukanji Sikazwe, Walusiku J Muyunda, Kanema Chiyenu, Charity M Siame, Winfred K Khondowe, Bwalya Mushiki, Martha M Mwaba, Pelile Zulu and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

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 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Maurice Musheke *Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9968-7540
Jake M Pry *Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6312-4420
Izukanji SikazweCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Walusiku J MuyundaCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Kanema ChiyenuCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Charity M SiameCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Winfred K KhondoweCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Bwalya MushikiCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Martha M MwabaCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Pelile ZuluCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Flavia MwapeCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.
Bridget SiamasukuYoung Women Christian Association, Lusaka, Zambia.
Davies ShulaYoung Women Christian Association, Lusaka, Zambia.
Mable B MweembaMinistry of Health, Ndeke House, Lusaka, Zambia.
Cuthbert KaneneUnited States Agency for International Development, United States of America Embassy, Lusaka, Zambia.
Arlene PhiriUnited States Agency for International Development, United States of America Embassy, Lusaka, Zambia.
Michael E HerceCentre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), Lusaka, Zambia.

Funding

United States Agency for International Development 72061121CA00002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDespite being at high risk of HIV acquisition, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) is low in Zambia because PrEP is traditionally delivered in clinical settings. We describe the effects of community centres supported by the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) initiative on PrEP outcomes in Zambia and examine factors associated with PrEP continuation.

methodsWe collected individual-level PrEP data for AGYW aged 15-24 years at risk of HIV acquisition and enrolled in DREAMS in seven districts of Zambia between August 2022 and August 2024. We used Pearson's Chi-squared test to examine differences in beneficiary characteristics between clients with a PrEP initiation visit and ≥ 2 PrEP visits (i.e. an initiation plus ≥ 1 return visit), and mixed effects Poisson regression modelling to estimate the association between DREAMS enrolment criteria and PrEP continuation (defined as ≥ 1 PrEP visit within 180 days of initiation). We also estimated the marginal probability of PrEP continuation by number of DREAMS enrolment criteria and used Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate the time to the first PrEP return visit by client age band.

resultsBetween 11 August 2022 and 23 August 2024, 15,502 AGYW aged 15-24 years were screened for PrEP eligibility, of whom 15,072 (97.2%) initiated PrEP per national guidelines. Of those initiating PrEP, 9807 (65.1%) had sufficient follow-up time to allow for observation of a PrEP return visit. The proportion of AGYW who had ≥ 1 PrEP return visit within 180 days of initiation was 59.0% (n/N = 5706/9675). Across age bands, the percent probability of having a PrEP return visit within 180 days of initiation was highest among clients who reported ≥ 4 DREAMS enrolment criteria at 91.7% (95% CI: 70.7, 112.7%) for clients aged 15-19 years and 83.6% (95% CI: 61.1, 106.2%) for clients aged 20-24 years. Overall, 41.5% of clients had a first PrEP return visit between 21 and 42 days of PrEP initiation.

conclusionsThe high number and proportion of AGYW initiated on PrEP suggests that decentralising PrEP services to DREAMS community centres has the potential to improve PrEP access among AGYW. Increasing HIV risk perception among AGYW may improve PrEP continuation.

Indexed as

Anti-HIV AgentsHealth Services AccessibilityHIV InfectionsPre-Exposure ProphylaxisAdolescentFemaleHumansYoung AdultZambiaAnti-HIV Agentsadherenceadolescent girls and young womencommunity centreHIV preventionpre‐exposure prophylaxisZambia

Identifiers

PMID40622362
PMCPMC12232481

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Registered trials

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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.