The impact of COVID-19-related restrictions in 2020 on sexual healthcare use, pre-exposure prophylaxis use, and sexually transmitted infection incidence among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
HIV Med
; 24(2): 212-223, 2023 02.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36226479
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
We studied the effects of restrictions related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) pandemic on the use of sexual healthcare and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in a prospective, open-label PrEP demonstration study (AMPrEP) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.METHODS:
We retrieved data from 2019 to 2020 for participants with one or more study visit in 2019 (n = 305) and from two COVID-19 questionnaires (2020 n = 203; 2021 n = 160). Analyses were stratified for three periods of pandemic-related restrictions (first 15 March 2020-15 June 2020; second 16 June 2020-15 September 2020; third 16 September 2020-31 December 2020 or 1 April 2021 for the COVID-19 questionnaire). Endpoints included returning for care during the pandemic, PrEP use (increased/unchanged vs. deceased/stopped, relative to 2019), and any STI/HIV. We modelled determinants of care and PrEP use via multivariable logistic regression and STI incidence using piecewise Poisson regression, comparing the 2020 and 2019 periods.RESULTS:
Of the 305 MSM included in the analysis, 72.8% returned for care during the pandemic, and this was significantly more likely among daily (vs. event-driven) PrEP users (p < 0.001). Increased/unchanged PrEP use ranged from 55.2% to 58.1% across the three pandemic periods and was more likely among those reporting chemsex in the first (p = 0.001) and third (p = 0.020) periods and among those reporting an increased/unchanged number of sex partners during the second period (p = 0.010). STI incidence was significantly lower in 2020 than in 2019 during the first period (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.68) and not significantly different during the second (IRR 1.38; 95% CI 0.95-2.00) and third (IRR 1.42; 95% CI 0.86-2.33) periods. No HIV was diagnosed.CONCLUSION:
COVID-19-related restrictions coincided with reduced care and PrEP use. Changes in STI incidence suggest delayed diagnoses. Ways to ensure continued access to sexual healthcare during restrictions are needed.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Contexto em Saúde:
1_ASSA2030
/
2_ODS3
/
4_TD
Problema de saúde:
1_doencas_nao_transmissiveis
/
2_enfermedades_transmissibles
/
2_muertes_prematuras_enfermedades_notrasmisibles
/
4_pneumonia
Assunto principal:
Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis
/
Infecções por HIV
/
Profilaxia Pré-Exposição
/
Minorias Sexuais e de Gênero
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Incidence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
HIV Med
Assunto da revista:
SINDROME DA IMUNODEFICIENCIA ADQUIRIDA (AIDS)
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Holanda