WEPED848

Title

How will eventual HIV cure impact prevention behavior?

Presenter

Manya Magnus

Authors

M. Magnus¹, J. Kanyinda², C.A. Boone³, T. Young⁴, E. Sarkodie⁵, R. Strange⁶, N. Caballero-Suarez⁷, J. Fenech⁶, T. Villa⁶, A. Castel⁸

Institutions

¹George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Washington, United States, ²George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, United States, ³George Washington University School of Public Health, Washington, United States, ⁴Community Education Group, Washington, United States, ⁵Whitman Walker, Washington, United States, ⁶Community Advisory Board - GWU, Washington, United States, ⁷CIENI (Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias), Mexico City, Mexico, ⁸George Washington University School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Washington, United States

Background: The majority of research on HIV cure knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions to date has surrounded persons living with HIV. An understanding of the way HIV cure impacts prevention behavior will help develop appropriate social messaging while concurrently promoting HIV prevention. We do not know how a future HIV cure may impact prevention behavior. The purpose of this analysis was to examine knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions about HIV cure in relation to HIV prevention among a sample of HIV-uninfected (HIV-) persons.
Methods: Data were analyzed from an anonymous convenience sample of adults between 9/2017 and 7/2018. Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of HIV cure and cure research, and correlates of potential changes in prevention behavior, were examined. Unadjusted and adjusted characteristics associated with perceiving that HIV cure availability will negatively impact PrEP uptake and other HIV prevention methods were described. The primary outcome of interest (agreement with “If a cure were available for HIV, people will not use PrEP and other methods to stay HIV negative”) was examined using logistic regression.
Results: Of 135 HIV- participants, the majority was female (53%), ≥30 years, white (63); 33% had a friend or family member with HIV; 19% considered themselves at risk for HIV; 61% perceived that HIV cure means to them “No risk of transmitting HIV to others.” After adjusting for gender identity and sexual orientation, persons who were Black/African American or Latinx [OR 6.30 (95% CI 2.20-18.00, p< 0.01] or ≥ 45 [OR 4.78 (95% CI 1.53-14.90, p< 0.01] were more likely to perceive that HIV cure availability would be associated with non-use of PrEP and other prevention methods.
Conclusions: Should HIV cure become available, an understanding of the perceptions of those living without HIV will be essential since the availability of HIV cure may affect utilization of PrEP and other prevention modalities. This analysis underscores that there are potential negative prevention impacts that need to be explored in concert with rollout strategies for future cure.

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