About

Training Years: 2018-2019

Training Site: University of Cape Town

Country: South Africa

Mentors: Audrey Pettifor PhD; Linda-Gail Bekker, PhD, MBChB, DTMH,DCH, FCP(SA) – IAVI

Title: PrEP for adolescents in SA: the impact of PrEP-related stigma and parental support on adolescent PrEP uptake

Program Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine perceptions of PrEP-related stigma among adolescents and their parents and to determine if PrEP-related stigma is associated with interest and support for PrEP uptake. The central hypothesis is that greater perceptions of PrEP-related stigma and low parental support for adolescent PrEP are associated with a lack of interest in PrEP and low uptake among adolescents.

AIM 1: Examine PrEP knowledge, support for PrEP use, and PrEP-related stigma among adolescents and their parents at baseline

AIM 1a: Assess prior knowledge of PrEP

AIM 1b: Compare adolescent interest in using PrEP, adolescent perceptions of parental support for their potential PrEP use, and parent reports of support for adolescent PrEP use

AIM 1c: Develop a measure to assess PrEP-related stigma in the sample based on (1) a review of measures of HIV/AIDs related stigma8, (2) a review of stigma measures currently being used in PrEP research and (3) formative interviews conducted among adolescents and HIV service providers in South Africa; and examine perceptions of PrEP-related stigma among adolescents and their parents

AIM 2: Explore individual level factors associated with prior PrEP knowledge, interest in PrEP use, and PrEP related stigma among adolescents, including HIV risk behavior, HIV risk perception, HIV-related stigma, HIV knowledge, perceptions of parental support for PrEP use, condom attitudes, and norms around sex

AIM 3: Determine if PrEP-related stigma is associated with interest in PrEP use among adolescents and willingness to support adolescent PrEP use among parents; and, among adolescents who were interested in PrEP at baseline, examine the impact of stigma and parental support on PrEP uptake and discussions surrounding PrEP with a healthcare provider at 6- and 12-months of follow-up.

NIH Support: Fogarty scholars doctoral training award