A Cross-sectional Study of End User Preferences for HIV Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Kenya
The URCHOICE STUDY
Start: November 2020
Status: Data cleaning and analysis ongoing
Design: Cross Sectional Survey
Study Sites: Anza Mapema Centre of Excellence, Kisumu
SWOP Clinic, Nairobi
KEMRI clinic at HAPA Kenya offices in Nyali and KEMRI-MARPS-office at Malindi sub-county Hospital;
Sponsor: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp
IRB: Maseno University Ethical Research Committee MUERC/00920/20
Purpose: This multi-site study aims to gauge the knowledge and preferences of Kenyan GBMSM and transgender women regarding the use of existing once a day oral PrEP, compared to the PrEP delivery methods under development and male condoms.
Design: The study will be in two phases. Phase One will consist of educational sessions with 150 participants at each site (450 total participants). The purpose of the sessions will be to inform potential study participants of the different HIV prevention methods available (e.g., condoms, once daily oral pill) and under development (longer acting PrEP). Phase Two will consist of individual face-to-face interviews with 140 GBMSM at each of the 3 sites (n=420), and 9 focus group discussions (FGD), three at each site, to get qualitative group thinking about the different HIV prevention methods. At each site, there will be one FGD with GBMSM distributed evenly among those who chose each of the different prevention options during the individual interview, one with transgender women and one with health providers and leaders of GBMSM and transgender women service organizations. The second group will consist of transsexual women, who may well have different preferences from GBMSM.
Population: HIV-negative Kenyan GBMSM and transgender women ages 18-39 years resident of the study areas.
Study Size: A total of approximately 480 men will be enrolled.
Study Aims: Aim 1: To determine preferences for modes of HIV prevention by 140 GBMSM at each of three sites (n=420), including each of the following: condoms, once daily oral pill, once monthly oral pill, long-acting (3 months) intramuscular injection, subcutaneous implant (yearly).
Aim 2: To assess each participant’s reasons for preferences through probes eliciting qualitative responses.
Aim 3: To get broader GBMSM, transgender women and community perspective on modes of HIV prevention through focused group discussions at each of the three sites.