Opportunities for targeted HIV prevention programs: measuring prevention gaps at public health facilities and social venues in Malawi

Abstract

Precision targeting is essential for maximising impact and cost-effectiveness of interventions at this stage of the HIV response in Malawi. We aimed to measure gaps in access to and use of condoms, HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and voluntary medical male circumcision among HIV-negative individuals at public health facilities and social venues (bars, rest houses and liquor stores) in Blantyre, Malawi. We analysed cross-sectional data from 2,227 HIV-negative patients at government clinics and 1,634 patrons at social venues recruited in the Clinic vs Venue (CLOVE) study between January and March 2022. We estimated gaps in access to and use of condoms, HIV testing, PrEP and circumcision. Estimates were stratified by risk group, defined as reporting transactional sex, having multiple sex partners in the past 4 weeks, being female aged 15 to 24, or being male aged 30 and above. Access and use were based on self-reports. Overall, 30% of clinic and 60% of venue participants reported higher risk. Among men, we found a gap between access to condoms and condom use at last sex (76.7% vs 29.8% among clinic men; 75.4% vs 36.7% among venue men). Among women, the gap between access and use of condoms was 65.9% vs 18.0% at clinics and 79.9% vs 46.0% in the venues. Approximately 80-85% of participants reported knowing where to get an HIV test in Blantyre but less than half reported testing in the past 6 months. Use of PrEP was low (~2%). Comparable proportions of men who paid for sex and those with multiple partners (~77%) reported being circumcised, but this was lower among those aged 30 years or older (~57%). Despite expanded HIV prevention services in Blantyre, gaps remain in the uptake of prevention services among people reachable at public health facilities and social venues. Use of PrEP was particularly low across all groups. Condom and testing use remained suboptimal despite high reported access. Targeted efforts are needed to address barriers to uptake, particularly for PrEP among high-risk venue-based populations.