Assessing the knowledge of, attitudes to and stigma towards prep among South African women

Abstract

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a biomedical prevention option proven to be effective in preventing HIV transmission. It is offered in public and private health facilities in South Africa although PrEP uptake remains low in populations that could potentially benefit from it including women in South Africa, the population reported to have a high HIV prevalence. While PrEP services are being expanded to the broader population, there is limited information on its acceptability. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of, attitudes to PrEP, and stigma which may be potential barriers to PrEP uptake among South African women.