Care providers' knowledge and willingness to prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep) in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo (drc)

Abstract

Introduction: reducing the incidence of new HIV infections is a public health goal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and willingness to prescribe PrEP in Kinshasa. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional analytical study among care providers of 4 health facilities where HIV treatment was offered in the city of Kinshasa from April to October 2017. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the factors associated with knowledge and willingness to prescribe PrEP. Results: eighty-five care providers responded at the survey. Less than one quarter of care providers knew PrEP before the survey and half of them were willing to prescribe it. Reluctance was due to resistance (83%). Factors associated with the knowledge of PrEP were the specialty of infectious disease and the expertise in addressing HIV. Factors associated with the willingness to prescribe PrEP were an age greater than 40 years, the specialty of infectious disease and the expertise in addressing HIV. Conclusion: the knowledge of the PrEP in Kinshasa was low and only half of care providers were willing to prescribe it. Being an infectious diseases specialist and an expert in HIV was associated with the knowledge and the willingness to prescribe PrEP. Education programs should strengthen the knowledge on PrEP and address concerns leading to reluctance to prescribe it.