1. Awareness and perception of accuracy of the Undetectable=Untransmittable message (U=U) in Italy: results from a survey among PLWHA, infectious-diseases physicians and people having unprotected sex.
- Author
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Cingolani, A., Tavelli, A., Calvino, G. V., Maggiolo, F., Girardi, E., Cozzi-Lepri, A., Perziano, A., Meli, P., Camposeragna, A., Mattioli, S., Calzavara, D., Gagliardini, R., Nozza, S., Antinori, A., and d'Arminio Monforte, A.
- Subjects
HIV infection transmission ,HIV-positive persons ,COMMUNICABLE diseases ,ATTITUDES of medical personnel ,RISK assessment ,INFECTIOUS disease transmission ,RESEARCH funding ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,UNSAFE sex ,DISEASE risk factors - Abstract
Evidences on the absence of risk of sexual transmission of HIV by persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with undetectable plasma HIV-RNA (HIV-RNA <200 copies/ml) led to the worldwide campaign "U = U" (undetectable = untransmittable). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceived accuracy of this message among PLWHA, HIV-negative people having unprotected sex (PHUS) and infectious diseases' (ID) physicians in Italy. A nationwide survey has been conducted using three different anonymous questionnaires (for ID physicians, PLWHA and PHUS). A total of 1121 participants filled the questionnaires: 397 PLWHA; 90 physicians; 634 PHUS. Awareness of U = U message has been reported in 74%, 92% and 47% of PLWHA, ID physicians and PHUS, respectively. The perception of accuracy of the U = U message among those aware was reported as high in 80.4%, 79.5% and 67.3% of PLWHA, ID physicians and PHUS, respectively. Physicians perceived that 11% of PLWHA have a high rate of perception of U = U, whereas among PLWHA, only 34% reported definitive positive messages from physicians. Discrepancies between awareness and perception of accuracy of the message U = U in PLWHA and physicians have been found, suggesting still low confidence in the community regarding the message itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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