ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been implemented as a prevention against HIV; however, its impact on mental health, sexual and life satisfaction has not been addressed. METHOD: We assessed 114 HIV-negative participants from Spain with ages ranging from 19 to 58 years; 60.5% were PrEP users ( n = 69) and 39.5% were non-users ( n = 45). They completed five questionnaires about life and sexual satisfaction, depression and anxiety. We performed correlations and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: The PrEP group showed a statistically significant relationship between better sexual satisfaction, and greater life satisfaction. The PrEP group also showed a statistically significant negative relationship with depression and anxiety which was not found in PrEP non-users. Moreover, we found that younger PrEP users had higher scores in anxiety and lower scores in depression than older users. The hierarchical regression analyses also showed that number of sexual partners was a major predictor in the PrEP group for NSSS. CONCLUSIONS: The indirect correlation between sexual satisfaction, depression, and anxiety in the PrEP group could underly the benefits of PrEP for patients' sex lives such as increased sexual liberties due to lower anxiety and mental comfort when experiencing chemsex.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis , Sexual and Gender Minorities , Male , Humans , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Homosexuality, Male/psychology , Depression , HIV Infections/drug therapy , HIV Infections/prevention & control , HIV Infections/psychology , Sexual Behavior , AnxietyABSTRACT
Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been implemented as a prevention against HIV; however, itsimpact on mental health, sexual and life satisfaction has not been addressed. Method: We assessed 114 HIV-negativeparticipants from Spain with ages ranging from 19 to 58 years; 60.5% were PrEP users (n = 69) and 39.5% werenon-users (n = 45). They completed five questionnaires about life and sexual satisfaction, depression and anxiety. Weperformed correlations and multiple regression analyses. Results: The PrEP group showed a statistically significantrelationship between better sexual satisfaction, and greater life satisfaction. The PrEP group also showed a statisticallysignificant negative relationship with depression and anxiety which was not found in PrEP non-users. Moreover, wefound that younger PrEP users had higher scores in anxiety and lower scores in depression than older users. Thehierarchical regression analyses also showed that number of sexual partners was a major predictor in the PrEP group forNSSS. Conclusions: The indirect correlation between sexual satisfaction, depression, and anxiety in the PrEP groupcould underly the benefits of PrEP for patients sex lives such as increased sexual liberties due to lower anxiety andmental comfort when experiencing chemsex.
Antecedentes: El impacto de la profilaxis pre-exposición (PrEP) sobre la salud mental, así como en la satisfacción sexualy con la vida son aún desconocidas. Método: Analizamos 114 participantes VIH negativos de España con rango de edad[19-58 años], donde el 60,5% eran usuarios de PrEP (n = 69) y el 39,5% no (n = 45). Completaron cinco tests sobre lasatisfacción sexual y con la vida, la depresión y la ansiedad. Realizamos correlaciones y análisis de regresión múltiple.Resultados: El uso de PrEP correlacionó con un incremento de la satisfacción sexual y con la vida. Mostraron unacorrelación negativa en depresión y ansiedad que no se observó en los no consumidores de PrEP. Los usuarios de PrEPmás jóvenes mostraban puntuaciones más altas en ansiedad y más bajas en depresión que los de mayor edad. Los análisisde regresión jerárquica mostraron que el número de parejas sexuales fue un predictor importante en el grupo de PrEP parala NSSS. Conclusión: La correlación indirecta entre la satisfacción sexual, la depresión y los síntomas de ansiedad en losusuarios de PrEP, podría ser la base de los beneficios que la PrEP puede ofrecer a la vida sexual de los pacientes.(AU)
