O conhecimento das profissionais do sexo sobre a profilaxia prep-hiv em casas noturnas em região metropolitana de Goiânia- Goiás

Abstract

The HIV prevention prophylaxis (PrEP, from the English word Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) consists of the use of antiretrovirals (ARV) for people who are seronegative to reduce risk of acquiring an infection through HIV. Such medication appears to be effective and safe for individuals with potential risk of contracting the infection. The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of knowledge in respect of the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP-HIV) by the sex workers that work in nightclubs in the municipality of the center-west region of Goiás. It is a descriptive and exploratory study with a quantitative and qualitative approach, and an analysis based on simple statistics. The study had a targeted population of 18 sex work professionals that worked in nightclubs in the municipality of Trindade-Go in the month of December in 2018. A questionnaire was used with objective questions to verify the level of knowledge of the sex work professionals that worked in that environment about the PrEP-HIV prophylaxis. After the information collection, the same information was submitted to simple statistical analysis, and transferred to Excel 2007 spreadsheets for the construction of the charts and tables, which were later analyzed. The current study was only initiated with the approval of the CEP of the Union of Goyazes College. Among the participants, 55% were between 26 and 30 years of age, 28% had incomplete secondary education, 78% had children, and 61% worked in nightclubs in the last 2 to 4 years. Only 22.2% of the participants demonstrated having knowledge of the PrEP-HIV prophylaxis, 5.6% of the participants recalled having partial knowledge, and 72.8% of the participants said that they had no knowledge. About 89% of the interviewees never had the intention of, or sought after, the PrEP-HIV in any health unit and only 11% of the participants already had interest in the medication. Among these interviews, 77.78% already imagined taking a tablet of the medication per day in order to reduce the chances of contracting HIV in case of exposure and 22.22% did not find it important. Data from this literature has shown that PrEP-HIV is highly effective in HIV prevention, thus reinforcing, together with the population involved in the present study, the importance of knowledge and use of the medication for HIV prevention. It is expected that this study may provide support for the acceptability of PrEP by the populations at risk, especially the sex workers involved in this study.