Risk factors for PrEP and ART medication adherence challenges in cis-gender South African men who have sex with men in Johannesburg and Pretoria

This study looked at how common medication adherence challenges are among cis‑gender South African men who have sex with men (MSM) who were taking either daily HIV prevention pills (PrEP) or HIV treatment (ART) at clinics in Johannesburg and Pretoria in 2023. The researchers interviewed 200 participants (160 on PrEP and 40 on ART) about their pill‑taking over the previous month and assessed mental health and other personal factors. Over half (about 54%) reported missing at least one dose in the past month. Around 31% showed signs of moderate to severe depression.

In analyses that accounted for multiple factors, several things were linked with having adherence challenges. These included being on PrEP rather than ART, attending the clinic in Pretoria, reporting transactional sex, having moderate to severe depression, and using social media frequently.

The study highlights the high levels of adherence problems in this population along with prevalent mental health symptoms. It suggests that depression and social factors may play important roles in whether MSM consistently take their HIV medicines. The authors call for future research with longer follow‑up and tailored interventions that address both mental health and adherence support within HIV care programs for MSM in South Africa.

Disclaimer: This lay summary was generated by AI and has not been approved by any of the authors yet.