title: Acceptability and Preferences for Hypothetical Rectal Microbicides among a Community Sample of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Thailand: A Discrete Choice Experiment.
abstract: Rectal microbicides (RMs) may offer substantial benefits in expanding HIV prevention options for key populations. From April to August 2013, we conducted Tablet-Assisted Survey Interviewing, including a discrete choice experiment, with participants recruited from gay entertainment venues and community-based organizations in Chiang Mai and Pattaya, Thailand. Among 408 participants, 74.5 % were young men who have sex with men, 25.5 % transgender women, with mean age = 24.3 years. One-third (35.5 %) had ≤9th grade education; 63.4 % engaged in sex work. Overall, 83.4 % reported they would definitely use a RM, with more than 2-fold higher odds of choice of a RM with 99 versus 50 % efficacy, and significantly higher odds of choosing gel versus suppository, intermittent versus daily dosing, and prescription versus over-the-counter. Sex workers were significantly more likely to use a RM immediately upon availability, with greater tolerance for moderate efficacy and daily dosing. Engaging key populations in assessing RM preferences may support biomedical research and evidence-informed interventions to optimize the effectiveness of RMs in HIV prevention.
authors.affiliation: Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada. p.newman@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Surachet
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roungprakhon
authors.affiliation: Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S 1V4, Canada.
authors.forename: Suchon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tepjan
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scarpa
mesh_terms: D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D060386:Sex Workers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
keywords: Discrete choice experiment; HIV; Male sex workers; Rectal microbicides; Thailand; Transgender women; Young men who have sex with men (YMSM)