The intention to use HIV-pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men in Switzerland: testing an extended explanatory model drawing on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)

• Published in: Journal of public health Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 247 - 259
• Main Authors: Nideröst, Sibylle, Gredig, Daniel, Hassler, Benedikt, Uggowitzer, Franziska, Weber, Patrick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antiretroviral drugs; Bivariate analysis; Data collection; Data processing; Disease prevention; Epidemiology; Expectancy; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Mathematical models; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Motivation; Original; Original Article; Privacy; Prophylaxis; Public Health; Sexually transmitted diseases; Statistical tests; STD; Technology utilization; Switzerland; HIV/AIDS; Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology; Switzerland; Men having sex with men (MSM); Acceptability
• ISSN: 2198-1833; 1613-2238
• DOI: 10.1007/s10389-017-0869-1

Aim The aim of this study was to determine the intention to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) when available and to identify predictors of the intention to use PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) living in Switzerland. The theoretical model drew on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and considered additional variables related specifically to PrEP, HIV protection and the resources of MSM. Subject and methods For data collection, we used an anonymous, standardized self-administered online questionnaire. In 2015, we gathered a convenience sample of 556 HIV-negative MSM living in Switzerland. We analyzed the data using descriptive and bivariate statistics and used structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized model. Results Predictors of respondents’ moderate intention to use PrEP were performance expectancy, effort expectancy, perceived social influence, concerns about using PrEP, attitudes toward condom use, negative experiences of condom use and age. These variables were predicted by HIV protection-related aspects and resources. Conclusion The findings provide insights into the complex dynamic underlying the intention to use PrEP.