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A cross-sectional investigation of the factors associated with awareness of PEP and PrEP among Queensland university students106.87 kB
Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
A cross-sectional investigation of the factors associated with awareness of PEP and PrEP among Queensland university students
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Vol.48(2), pp.1-7
2024
PMID: 38432178
Abstract
Objective:
University creates unique social environments for many young people that can result in behaviour changes that can impact sexual health-related risks and facilitate transmission of HIV. Little is known about HIV knowledge, risk, and awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis/post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) among Australian university students.
Methods:
A 2019 online survey distributed through Queensland universities, using active recruitment/snowball sampling. Descriptive and logistical regression analysis investigated HIV knowledge/risk and PrEP/PEP awareness.
Results:
Of the 4,291 responses, 60.4% were 20–29 years old, 57.0% identified as heterosexual, and 31.8% were born-overseas. Mean HIV knowledge score was 9.8/12. HIV risk scores were higher among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) (mean=5.2/40) compared to all other sexual behaviours (mean=3.1/40). Logistic regression indicated PrEP and PEP awareness was associated with older age (p<0.05), being non-binary/gender-diverse (p<0.05), and MSM (p<0.05). Lower odds of PrEP awareness were associated with international student status (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
This study highlights the need for future health promotion targeting younger Australians at risk of HIV to increase uptake of PrEP/PEP, particularly among overseas-born young people and those ineligible for appropriate health care in Australia.
Implications for public health:
Addressing these gaps will improve sexual health outcomes for young Australians at risk of HIV and work towards virtual elimination of HIV transmission in Australia.
Details
- Title
- A cross-sectional investigation of the factors associated with awareness of PEP and PrEP among Queensland university students
- Authors
- Sarah Warzywoda (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandAmalie Dyda - The University of QueenslandLisa Fitzgerald - The University of QueenslandAmy Mullens - University of Southern QueenslandJoseph Debattista - Metro North Health (Australia)Jo Durham - Queensland University of TechnologyZhihong Gu - Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (Brisbane, Australia)Kathryn Wenham - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Public HealthArmin Ariana - Griffith UniversityCharles F. Gilks - The University of QueenslandSara F.E. Bell - The University of QueenslandJudith A. Dean - The University of Queensland
- Publication details
- Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Vol.48(2), pp.1-7
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2024
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100136
- ISSN
- 1753-6405
- PMID
- 38432178
- Copyright note
- © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Public Health Association of Australia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- The data that support this study cannot be publicly shared due to ethical reasons and may be shared on reasonable request to the corresponding author, if appropriate.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Public Health
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991011698302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
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