Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Manuel Reiriz1,2, Benjamín Rodríguez-Expósito1,3, Ana J. Jiménez-García1, Sara Uceda1 and Natalia Arias1,3
1 University of Nebrija,
2 Adhara Sevilla,
3 Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias
Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been implemented as a prevention against HIV; however, its impact on mental health, sexual and life satisfaction has not been addressed. Method: We assessed 114 HIV-negative participants from Spain with ages ranging from 19 to 58 years; 60.5% were PrEP users (n = 69) and 39.5% were non-users (n = 45). They completed five questionnaires about life and sexual satisfaction, depression and anxiety. We performed correlations and multiple regression analyses. Results: The PrEP group showed a statistically significant relationship between better sexual satisfaction, and greater life satisfaction. The PrEP group also showed a statistically significant negative relationship with depression and anxiety which was not found in PrEP non-users. Moreover, we found that younger PrEP users had higher scores in anxiety and lower scores in depression than older users. The hierarchical regression analyses also showed that number of sexual partners was a major predictor in the PrEP group for NSSS. Conclusions: The indirect correlation between sexual satisfaction, depression, and anxiety in the PrEP group could underly the benefits of PrEP for patients’ sex lives such as increased sexual liberties due to lower anxiety and mental comfort when experiencing chemsex.
Antecedentes: El impacto de la profilaxis pre-exposición (PrEP) sobre la salud mental, así como en la satisfacción sexual y con la vida son aún desconocidas. Método: Analizamos 114 participantes VIH negativos de España con rango de edad [19-58 años], donde el 60,5% eran usuarios de PrEP (n = 69) y el 39,5% no (n = 45). Completaron cinco tests sobre la satisfacción sexual y con la vida, la depresión y la ansiedad. Realizamos correlaciones y análisis de regresión múltiple. Resultados: El uso de PrEP correlacionó con un incremento de la satisfacción sexual y con la vida. Mostraron una correlación negativa en depresión y ansiedad que no se observó en los no consumidores de PrEP. Los usuarios de PrEP más jóvenes mostraban puntuaciones más altas en ansiedad y más bajas en depresión que los de mayor edad. Los análisis de regresión jerárquica mostraron que el número de parejas sexuales fue un predictor importante en el grupo de PrEP para la NSSS. Conclusión: La correlación indirecta entre la satisfacción sexual, la depresión y los síntomas de ansiedad en los usuarios de PrEP, podría ser la base de los beneficios que la PrEP puede ofrecer a la vida sexual de los pacientes.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2022.230