Guidance for Providing Informed-Choice Counseling on Sexual Health for Women Interested in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

Guidance for providing informed-choice counseling on sexual health for HIV-negative women interested in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). It explains how PrEP, described through the Truvada drug option, can reduce HIV acquisition risk when taken regularly, and positions PrEP as a complement to existing prevention measures. The guidance supports service providers with counseling principles and risk-reduction considerations, including condom use and adherence challenges, to help women make decisions suited to their individual needs and circumstances.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Background Research and Guidance Development

Guiding Principles

The Guidance

References

Appendix A: Workshop Participants

Appendix B: Additional Resources

Guidance for Providing Informed-Choice Counseling on Sexual Health for Women Interested in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Kenya & South Africa January 2016 Suggested citation: Corneli A, Yacobson I, Agot K, and Ahmed, K. Guidance for Providing InformedChoice Counseling on Sexual Health for Women Interested in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) . Durham, NC: FHI 360; 2016. Photographs by Irina Yacobson. Women in the photographs are public health professionals. Table of Contents Acknowledgements___________________________________________________________ 4 Introduction_________________________________________________________________ 5 Background Research and Guidance Development __________________________________ 9 Guiding Principles_____________________________________________________________ 11 The Guidance________________________________________________________________ 13 References __________________________________________________________________ 39 Appendix A: Workshop Participants ______________________________________________ 41 Appendix B: Additional Resources _______________________________________________ 42 Acknowledgements This guidance was written by Amy Corneli and Irina Yacobson of FHI 360 in the United States, in partnership with Kawango Agot and Jacob Odhiambo of Impact Research and Development Organization (IRDO) in Kenya, and Khatija Ahmed and Joseph Skhosana of Setshaba Research Centre (SRC) in South Africa. The writers thank the following individuals who reviewed the guidance and provided feedback: Jennifer Deese, Emily Namey, and Betsy Tolley of FHI 360. They also thank the individuals who provided valuable comments on the guidance during workshops held in Kenya and South Africa (see Appendix A for list of participants) . Finally, the writers are grateful to the individuals who participated in the research that served as the foundation for these guidelines and to the larger research team at IRDO, SRC, and FHI 360 who contributed to the implementation of the research. The development of this guidance and the research that informed it were funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, under award number R01MH095531 . The contents of the guidance are solely the responsibility of the writers and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Introduction Pre-exposure prophylaxis – referred to as PrEP – is anew HIV prevention option Several clinical trials have shown that an antiretroviral (ARV) drug called Truvada (emtricitabine/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) reduces the risk of HIV infection in both women and men—an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) .1-3 When taken regularly, PrEP can significantly reduce a person’s risk of acquiring HIV * .4-5 Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate has been approved as PrEP in both South Africa and Kenya,6,7 and numerous PrEP demonstration projects are planned or under way in these countries.8 PrEP is one of several prevention options Many HIV prevention options exist, such as using condoms consistently and correctly, abstaining from sex, and reducing the number of sexual partners. Having multiple HIV prevention options allows individuals to pick what works best for them at any given point in their lives. This can help individuals achieve better protection overall, even if they are not using all HIV prevention options all the time. PrEP is not meant to replace existing HIV prevention approaches, but instead to complement them. Ideally, individuals will use a combination of prevention measures, such as using condoms consistently and correctly, reducing the number of sexual partners they have, and adhering to PrEP. *PrEP is an intervention to reduce the risk of HIV. Truvada is currently the only ARV drug approved as a PrEP intervention. In this guidance, we use the word “PrEP” to refer to both the intervention and the drug, for ease of r

FAQs

What is PrEP and how does it reduce HIV risk?

PrEP is an HIV prevention option that involves using an antiretroviral drug called Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate). When taken regularly, it reduces the risk of HIV infection.

How should PrEP relate to other HIV prevention strategies?

PrEP is meant to complement existing prevention approaches, such as consistent condom use, abstaining from sex, and reducing the number of sexual partners. The guidance encourages using a combination of measures.

Who is the counseling guidance written for?

The guidance is written for service providers who deliver HIV risk-reduction counseling in facilities offering PrEP. It is specifically designed for HIV-negative women interested in PrEP as part of their risk-reduction strategy.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Connor