Table 3.
HIV/AIDS and nPEP knowledge among MSM with and without an intention to take nPEP
| Statements | Did not intend to initiate nPEP | Intended to initiate nPEP | Total | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total=269 | Total=181 | Total=450 | ||
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
| Correct responses to general questions about HIV/AIDS transmission | ||||
| Can you get HIV by having sexual intercourse with an infected person? | 242(90.0) | 163(90.1) | 405(90.0) | |
| Can HIV be transmitted from mother to child? | 236(87.7) | 166(91.7) | 402(89.3) | |
| Is HIV curable if diagnosed in early stage? | 93(34.6) | 69(38.1) | 162(36.0) | |
| Can you get HIV by sharing a bathroom, toilet, clothes or by kissing an infected person? | 217(80.7) | 154(85.1) | 371(82.4) | |
| Can HIV be spread via mosquito or insect bites? | 221(82.2) | 163(90.1) | 384(85.3) | |
| Can you get HIV via blood transfusion or from receiving other blood products that are infected with HIV? | 255(94.8) | 177(97.8) | 432(96.0) | |
| Can you get HIV by sharing needles with an infected person? | 263(97.8) | 179(98.9) | 442(98.2) | |
| Can you get HIV by touching or eating with an infected person? | 233(86.6) | 164(90.6) | 397(88.2) | |
| Correct responses to questions about HIV prevention | ||||
| Can you get HIV by having sexual intercourse without using a condom with a person who you know very well? | 218(81.0) | 164(90.6) | 382(84.9) | |
| Can you prevent HIV infection by always using a condom during sexual intercourse? | 198(73.6) | 159(87.8) | 357(79.3) | |
| Does ejaculating outside prevent HIV infection? | 178(66.2) | 131(72.4) | 309(68.7) | |
| Can you prevent HIV infection by avoiding sexual intercourse with sex workers? | 208(77.3) | 144(79.6) | 352(78.2) | |
| Can you prevent HIV infection by choosing to have sexual intercourse with only persons who look healthy? | 201(74.7) | 160(88.4) | 361(80.2) | |
| Can you prevent HIV infection by avoiding sexual intercourse? | 47(17.5) | 24(13.3) | 71(15.8) | |
| Can you prevent HIV infection by washing your genitals after having sexual intercourse every time? | 170(63.2) | 120(66.3) | 290(64.4) | |
| Does having an STI in combination with risky sexual behaviour with an infected person increase your chance of HIV infection? | 241(89.6) | 171(94.5) | 412(91.6) | |
| Accuracy of responses | ||||
| >80% | 130(48.3) | 115(63.5) | 245(54.4) | 0.003 |
| 50–79% | 128(47.6) | 64(35.4) | 192(42.7) | |
| <49% | 11(4.1) | 2(1.1) | 13(2.9) | |
| Correct responses to general questions about nPEP | ||||
| Where can you buy antiretroviral medication? | 241(90.1) | 170(93.9) | 411(91.5) | |
| Taking nPEP may prevent HIV infection, but within how many hours of the risk of exposure must it be taken? | 232(86.6) | 166(91.7) | 398(88.6) | |
| How should nPEP be taken? | 108(40.3) | 83(45.9) | 191(42.5) | |
| Can antiretroviral medication cause side effects in people who take it? | 154(57.7) | 124(68.9) | 278(62.2) | |
| Adequate nPEP knowledge (correctly answering ≥75% while knowing that nPEP needs to be started within 72 hours) | 158(58.7) | 124(68.5) | 282(62.7) | 0.04 |
nPEP: non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis; STI: sexually transmitted infection