Assessing Knowledge levels on Uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Mumbwa District

This study aimed to assess knowledge and uptake of the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) intervention among 80 selected individuals in Mumbwa rural district, Central Province, Zambia, with specific objectives to evaluate participants’ awareness and use of PrEP, examine barriers to accessing the intervention, and identify best practices for promoting PrEP within the community. HIV remains a major public health concern in rural areas like Mumbwa, where access to preventive interventions, including PrEP, is limited. Although PrEP has been proven effective in reducing HIV transmission, knowledge and uptake among at-risk individuals remain low, and there is insufficient empirical data on awareness, use, and barriers in this context, which hinders effective public health planning and the design of targeted interventions, potentially perpetuating high HIV infection rates and undermining national HIV prevention strategies with adverse health, social, and economic consequences for rural communities. The study employed a descriptive research design with a mixed-methods approach, selecting 80 participants including current PrEP users, non-users, community members, and health workers through simple random and purposive sampling to ensure diverse representation. Quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using Stata and Excel with descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, transcribed, coded in NVivo, and analyzed thematically. Triangulation across methods, data sources, theory, and investigators enhanced validity and reliability, and ethical approval was obtained with informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, and voluntary participation strictly observed. The findings revealed that 70 percent of participants reported taking PrEP, while 30 percent had not, indicating relatively high uptake compared to similar rural contexts, although actual use (mean = 0.70, SD = 0.46) was significantly lower than exposure (mean = 2.85, SD = 0.98), highlighting a gap between awareness and uptake. Education was a key determinant of adoption, with higher-educated individuals more likely to take PrEP and those with lower education holding misconceptions. Barriers included distance to health facilities, stigma, and provider attitudes, while strong community support positively influenced awareness and engagement. Best practices for promoting PrEP included peer education (30%), community outreach (28%), mobile clinics (22%), and counseling (22%), with community support being the strongest predictor of participation. Younger participants preferred interactive methods such as peer discussions and community dramas, whereas older participants favored advisory sessions. Recommendations were therefore to strengthen targeted health education, peer-led programs, mobile clinics, and community outreach, particularly in remote areas, while addressing barriers such as stigma, distance, and provider attitudes, and leveraging community support to sustain PrEP uptake.