As more territories within the Region establish sites offering Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), access to data on key populations’ perceptions about PrEP is crucial.  This was the motivation behind the PrEP research conducted by the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD).

The research team consisted of Mr Joel Simpson, Managing Director, SASOD Guyana and Dr Nastassia Rambarran, researcher and public health consultant.

The study is a qualitative assessment of the current knowledge, attitudes and preferences concerning PrEP among Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women in Guyana.

The methodology involved conducting focus groups with HIV-negative MSM and trans women over 18 years, residing in Administrative Regions Three (3), Four (4), Five (5), Six (6) and Ten (10).

The research revealed that 60% of the participants had never heard of PrEP; further, the research team discovered that among participants who had some PrEP knowledge, there was confusion about PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

The study’s results offer excellent insight into the critical need for PrEP education among key populations and provide a wealth of knowledge for the PrEP awareness and community health promotion required for Guyana’s PrEP pilot.

The research is available on PANCAP.org; click here to access.