Taking a TAXI-KAB to better understanding
How gay men respond to HIV depends on what they think about factors such as new information about the effect of HIV treatments on HIV transmission, and new testing possibilities. Understanding these changes in attitudes and behaviour is essential, and is the reason behind a new study at the Kirby Institute.
“Many changes in how we deal with HIV are happening right now,” said study leader Associate Professor Garrett Prestage. “We need to know what gay men are thinking about those changes, to help us respond better.”
The TAXI KAB Study is being launched this week by the HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program at the Kirby Institute, a centre of the University of New South Wales.
“The TAXI-KAB (Thinking About eXposure to Infection – Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs) Study is a study for gay and bisexual men in Australia concerning their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about recent changes in HIV,” Professor Prestage said. “We want to find out what gay and bisexual men are doing, thinking, and how they understand HIV right now, at a very dynamic time in the history of this disease.”
Five key shifts related to HIV in recent times include an increasing (and documented) reliance on non-condom-based risk reduction; an increase in the effectiveness and tolerability of HIV treatments; a move to use treatments as prevention, including as a pre-exposure prophylaxis; and the move to rapid and home-based testing kits. “All of these factors have the potential to profoundly affect the nature of the response to HIV in Australia and internationally,” Professor Prestage said.
Have you taken a TAXI yet? Go to www.taxi-kab-study.net.au for more information or to participate in our online survey about the changing image of HIV in our community.
Media contacts: A/Professor Garrett Prestage 0405 122 326, Jack Bradley, 0438 314 051