Analysis of HIV drug prophylaxis services cascade in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study in China

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug prophylaxis, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), has not yet been generally recognized and accepted by the whole society in China, and the utilization coverage among high-risk populations is low.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are important to the promotion and implementation of HIV drug prophylaxis strategy.

This study analyzed the HIV drug prophylaxis services cascade (knowledge, attitude, and service) in HCWs, and explored the correlations between PEP and PrEP.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1066 HCWs in 20 designated hospitals for HIV antiretroviral therapy in 20 cities in China.

We collected information on participants’ essential characteristics, HIV drug prophylaxis services cascade (knowledge, attitude, and service) and so on.

The Chi-square test was used to analyse whether the differences and correlations between categorical variables were statistically significant, and Pearson contingency coefficient was used to analyse the strength of correlations.

Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse associated factors.

Results Among three stages of HIV drug prophylaxis services cascade, a high percentage of 1066 participants had knowledge of HIV drug prophylaxis (PEP: 78.2%, PrEP: 80.0%).

Of them, almost all had supportive attitudes towards HIV drug prophylaxis (PEP: 99.6%, PrEP: 98.6%).

Only about half of them would provide HIV drug prophylaxis services (PEP: 53.5%, PrEP: 48.5%).

There were positive correlations between knowledge of PEP and PrEP ( r  = 0.292), between attitudes toward PEP and PrEP ( r  = 0.325), and between provision of PEP services and PrEP services ( r  = 0.555) in HCWs.

Conclusions There was a positive correlation between PEP and PrEP in HCWs.

At the stage of providing HIV drug prophylaxis services, training, advocacy and education for HCWs, should be targeted and also combine PEP and PrEP to maximize the effects, so as to improve the enthusiasm of HCWs to provide HIV drug prophylaxis services.