Assessment of Awareness, Willingness, and Practice of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Female Sex Workers in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the awareness, willingness, and practice of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among female sex workers (FSWs) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Conducted between June and August 2020, the cross-sectional research engaged 344 HIV-negative FSWs attending services at Uyo's One-Stop Shop for key populations services. Through a semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected on awareness, willingness, and practice of PrEP, and subsequently analyzed using statistical methods. The study's participants had a mean age of 29.06±5.20 years, with 68.6% falling between 25-34 years old. Notably, 76.5% were adequately aware of PrEP, while 8.1% expressed willingness to use it, and 42.4% had practiced PrEP. Factors like age, marital status, and years engaged in sex work were found to significantly influence awareness of PrEP. Participants aged 25-34 years, those previously married, and those with fewer years in sex work exhibited greater PrEP awareness. The frequency of first-time and boyfriend clients per week impacted willingness and practice of PrEP, with the former positively influencing willingness and the latter negatively affecting practice. Engaging in unprotected sex was also found to negatively correlate with PrEP practice. These findings highlight that while awareness of PrEP is relatively high among FSWs, willingness to use and actual practice of PrEP remain low. The study underscores the importance of tailored health education programs targeting FSWs, to enhance awareness and encourage adoption of effective HIV preventive measures. By addressing factors like age, marital status, and specific aspects of sex work, interventions could be designed to increase PrEP utilization, thereby contributing to the reduction of HIV transmission in this population.