Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence among PrEP-eligible men and women in Coastal Kenya

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention tool, yet uptake and adherence remain low in Kenya despite integration into national HIV prevention plans since 2017. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent HIV-related syndemic that presents barriers to PrEP engagement. While IPV's impact on women's PrEP use has been documented, less is known about IPV prevalence among men and its association with PrEP eligibility. This study aimed to determine IPV prevalence and explore correlates among PrEP-eligible men and women in coastal Kenya. Methods: This secondary analysis used data from the "Tambua Mapema Plus" trial conducted at six healthcare facilities in coastal Kenya among HIV-negative participants who were sexually active in the last 6 weeks and PrEP-eligible based on Kenya's Rapid Assessment Screening Tool. IPV was assessed through screening questions covering physical, verbal, and sexual violence experiences. Participants with ongoing IPV were excluded for safety. Among 1,500 intervention participants, 638 (402 women, 236 men) met PrEP eligibility criteria. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to identify factors associated with IPV. Results: Overall, 24.1% reported lifetime IPV exposure, with 5.6% reporting past-month IPV. Women experienced higher rates of verbal (14.9% vs 11.0%), physical (15.2% vs 9.7%), and sexual IPV (11.2% vs 6.4%). Participants who had children (adjusted risk ratio [ARR]=2.09, 95%CI 1.32?3.32) or engaged in sex work (ARR=1.81, 95%CI 1.13?2.80) had increased IPV risk. In multivariable analysis, women with children had higher IPV risk (ARR=2.30, 95%CI 1.29?4.24), while men engaging in sex work had elevated risk (ARR=2.37, 95%CI 1.15?4.68). Discussion: IPV prevalence was substantial. Sex work emerged as a risk factor for both sexes, while having children increased risk among women. High IPV prevalence among PrEP-eligible individuals underscores the need for integrated IPV risk assessment in PrEP programs to improve HIV prevention effectiveness in Kenya.