Wits RHI is a research and implementation Institute that is dynamic, progressive, and responsive to global and local health emergencies. We pioneer cutting-edge science and innovation in the fields of infectious and vaccine preventable diseases; maternal and family health; antimicrobial resistance, climate change and emerging crises.
Our strength lies in our multi-disciplinary and holistic approach to improving health outcomes at a local and global level through research, technical assistance, advocacy, policy development, implementation science and health systems strengthening. We identify health problems through sound epidemiological methods and qualitative research, and use a range of analytic and research methods to generate evidence and test and evaluate interventions in a real word setting.
We are a part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, a world-class African University.
We are a Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) collaborating centre and a strategic partner to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Our work is focused on populations that are most in need, marginalised, or hard to reach. These include:
Abstract
Oral PrEP effectiveness depends on consistent use during periods of potential HIV exposure, but adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) find this challenging. Data on PrEP use decision-making and alignment with risk among AGYW are limited. From 2016 to 2018, we conducted in-depth interviews with participants in HPTN 082, an open-label PrEP study in South Africa and Zimbabwe, to explore reasons for PrEP starts, stops, and restarts. Of 60 PrEP acceptors, 12 delayed acceptance, 15 used PrEP intermittently, 18 paused and restarted PrEP, and 13 permanently discontinued PrEP during 12-month follow-up.