Awareness of and Hypothetical Willingness to Use Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir and Associated Factors Among Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Users Who Obtained the Medicine Online in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
6 affiliations
- 1Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, 30 Shuangqing Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China, +86 010 62791154.
- 2School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- 3Department of AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
- 4National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
- 5HeHealth, Beijing, China.
- 6Institute for Healthy China, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Abstract
Background
Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective for HIV prevention, but its real-world impact depends on sustained adherence. Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) may reduce the burden of daily or event-driven pill use. In China, many oral PrEP users obtain medication online, but little is known about their prior CAB-LA awareness or willingness to consider it.Objective
This study assessed prior CAB-LA awareness, hypothetical willingness to use CAB-LA, reported barriers and facilitators, and associated factors among oral PrEP users in China obtaining PrEP online.Methods
This cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data from the Real-world E-consumer Cohort of Oral PrEP (RECOPE), a prospective cohort in China. Participants completed a self-administered web-based questionnaire assessing prior CAB-LA awareness, hypothetical willingness after standardized CAB-LA information, sociodemographic characteristics, recent sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis, and oral PrEP-related characteristics. Modified Poisson regression with robust SEs estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) with 95% CIs. Primary regression analyses were restricted to sexually active participants.Results
Among 621 oral PrEP users, the mean age was 29.9 (SD 6.4) years; all were assigned male sex at birth, and 608 (97.9%) identified as men. Overall, 216 of 621 (34.8%, 95% CI 31.1%-38.6%) participants reported prior CAB-LA awareness. After receiving standardized information, 428 of 621 (68.9%, 95% CI 65.2%-72.4%) participants expressed hypothetical willingness to use CAB-LA if it became available in China. Convenience was the most frequently reported facilitator among willing participants (395/428, 92.3%), whereas high cost was the most frequently reported barrier among those who did not express willingness (123/193, 63.7%). In adjusted analyses, event-driven PrEP users had a lower prevalence of prior CAB-LA awareness than daily PrEP users (aPR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50-0.86), whereas participants who had switched oral PrEP regimens in the past 3 months had higher prior awareness (aPR 1.34, 95% CI 1.07-1.68). Hypothetical willingness was more prevalent among participants reporting an STI diagnosis in the past 3 months (aPR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.39) and chemsex (aPR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), whereas higher PrEP-related stigma was associated with slightly lower willingness (aPR 0.99 per 1-point increase, 95% CI 0.98-0.99).Conclusions
Among oral PrEP users in China obtaining PrEP online, prior CAB-LA awareness was limited, whereas hypothetical willingness was common after standardized information was provided. Prior awareness differed by oral PrEP regimen and recent regimen switching, whereas willingness was associated with recent STI diagnosis, chemsex, and PrEP-related stigma. Convenience was a major appeal, while cost remained an important barrier. These findings support improving access to balanced PrEP information and addressing practical barriers as long-acting PrEP becomes more widely available.
Related
- Modeling the health and economic impact of scaling up monthly oral pre-exposure prophylaxis alone or alongside injectable Lenacapavir in Kenya and South Africa
- ASSESSING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF, AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR, EVENT-DRIVEN PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AMONG CISGENDER MEN IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
- Transition from extended to single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis was not associated with increased postoperative infectious complications in urologic surgery
- Persistent Injection-Site Nodules After the Administration of Long-Acting Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine
- Educational attainment and disease severity are associated with willingness to pay for rosacea treatment in Southwest China: a cross-sectional study
BibTeX
@article{li2026awareness,
title = {{Awareness of and Hypothetical Willingness to Use Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir and Associated Factors Among Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Users Who Obtained the Medicine Online in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.}},
author = {Qingyu Li and Jingtao Zhou and Siwen Huang and Yuhang Zhang and Jiayin Zheng and Chi Ruan and Huachun Zou and Xianlong Ren and Jie Xu and Houlin Tang and Yutong Xu and Zhiyi Zhao and Hui Xue and Feng Cheng and Sitong Luo},
journal = {Journal of medical Internet research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2196/96586},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42950349},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Awareness of and Hypothetical Willingness to Use Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir and Associated Factors Among Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Users Who Obtained the Medicine Online in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.
AU - Qingyu Li
AU - Jingtao Zhou
AU - Siwen Huang
AU - Yuhang Zhang
AU - Jiayin Zheng
AU - Chi Ruan
AU - Huachun Zou
AU - Xianlong Ren
AU - Jie Xu
AU - Houlin Tang
AU - Yutong Xu
AU - Zhiyi Zhao
AU - Hui Xue
AU - Feng Cheng
AU - Sitong Luo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - Journal of medical Internet research
DO - 10.2196/96586
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42950349
AB - Background Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective for HIV prevention, but its real-world impact depends on sustained adherence. Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) may reduce the burden of daily or event-driven pill use. In China, many oral PrEP users obtain medication online, but little is known about their prior CAB-LA awareness or willingness to consider it.Objective This study assessed prior CAB-LA awareness, hypothetical willingness to use CAB-LA, reported barriers and facilitators, and associated factors among oral PrEP users in China obtaining PrEP online.Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed baseline data from the Real-world E-consumer Cohort of Oral PrEP (RECOPE), a prospective cohort in China. Participants completed a self-administered web-based questionnaire assessing prior CAB-LA awareness, hypothetical willingness after standardized CAB-LA information, sociodemographic characteristics, recent sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis, and oral PrEP-related characteristics. Modified Poisson regression with robust SEs estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) with 95% CIs. Primary regression analyses were restricted to sexually active participants.Results Among 621 oral PrEP users, the mean age was 29.9 (SD 6.4) years; all were assigned male sex at birth, and 608 (97.9%) identified as men. Overall, 216 of 621 (34.8%, 95% CI 31.1%-38.6%) participants reported prior CAB-LA awareness. After receiving standardized information, 428 of 621 (68.9%, 95% CI 65.2%-72.4%) participants expressed hypothetical willingness to use CAB-LA if it became available in China. Convenience was the most frequently reported facilitator among willing participants (395/428, 92.3%), whereas high cost was the most frequently reported barrier among those who did not express willingness (123/193, 63.7%). In adjusted analyses, event-driven PrEP users had a lower prevalence of prior CAB-LA awareness than daily PrEP users (aPR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50-0.86), whereas participants who had switched oral PrEP regimens in the past 3 months had higher prior awareness (aPR 1.34, 95% CI 1.07-1.68). Hypothetical willingness was more prevalent among participants reporting an STI diagnosis in the past 3 months (aPR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.39) and chemsex (aPR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), whereas higher PrEP-related stigma was associated with slightly lower willingness (aPR 0.99 per 1-point increase, 95% CI 0.98-0.99).Conclusions Among oral PrEP users in China obtaining PrEP online, prior CAB-LA awareness was limited, whereas hypothetical willingness was common after standardized information was provided. Prior awareness differed by oral PrEP regimen and recent regimen switching, whereas willingness was associated with recent STI diagnosis, chemsex, and PrEP-related stigma. Convenience was a major appeal, while cost remained an important barrier. These findings support improving access to balanced PrEP information and addressing practical barriers as long-acting PrEP becomes more widely available.
SN - 1439-4456
SN - 1438-8871
ER -