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Achieving HIV Management Through Nursing and Public Health Interventions

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 2210

Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Nursing Science, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa 0209, South Africa
Interests: HIV; TB; nursing; stigma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global response to HIV has achieved remarkable progress, transforming the infection into a manageable chronic condition. Despite these advances, significant public health challenges persist, including disparities in care access, treatment adherence, comorbid disease management, and the persistence of stigma. Nursing and public health professionals are at the forefront of addressing these challenges. Their integrated roles, from direct patient care and counselling to community-level education and policy development, are fundamental to designing effective, equitable, and sustainable interventions that can close the gaps in the HIV care continuum and meet global eradication targets.

I invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, which will highlight the synergy between nursing science and public health strategies in achieving optimal HIV outcomes.

This Special Issue will collect and disseminate high-quality research and reviews that evaluate the design, implementation, and effectiveness of nursing and public health interventions for HIV prevention, treatment, and care. This subject is directly aligned with the journal's scope, bridging clinical practice, population health, and health policy. We will create a foundational resource that demonstrates how integrated, multi-level approaches are critical to improving the health and well-being of people living with and affected by HIV.

This Special Issue will showcase evidence-based interventions that leverage the unique strengths of nursing and public health to overcome barriers in HIV management and promote health equity.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Integrated care models of nursing care and/or public health frameworks;
  • Community-based interventions for prevention (PrEP/PEP) and treatment adherence;
  • Strategies for reducing stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings and communities;
  • The role of nursing in HIV policy advocacy, programme planning, and evaluation;
  • Interventions addressing social determinants of health that impact HIV outcomes;
  • Digital health (mHealth, eHealth) tools for patient education and community outreach;
  • Strategies for improving care linkage and retention for key populations;
  • Workforce development: education and training for nurses in public health HIV competencies;
  • Economic evaluations and scalability of nursing and/or public health intervention models.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Deliwe René Phetlhu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • HIV management
  • nursing interventions
  • public health
  • health equity
  • care continuum
  • adherence
  • stigma
  • prevention
  • key populations
  • implementation science

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

31 pages, 728 KB  
Review
Experiences and Outcomes of Peer Navigation and Support Interventions for Adolescents on HIV Treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
by Bernard Nhlanhla Mabuza, Charné Petinger and Brian van Wyk
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2026, 23(4), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23040488 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1669
Abstract
Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) face ongoing challenges with treatment adherence and engagement in care, resulting in lower viral suppression rates compared to adults. Peer navigation has shown promise in supporting psychosocial well-being and adherence among adults, but evidence specific to adolescents in [...] Read more.
Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) face ongoing challenges with treatment adherence and engagement in care, resulting in lower viral suppression rates compared to adults. Peer navigation has shown promise in supporting psychosocial well-being and adherence among adults, but evidence specific to adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains limited. This qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) describes and assesses the quality of qualitative and mixed-methods studies on peer navigation and support interventions for ALHIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in SSA. Eligible studies, published in English between January 2015 and October 2025, were identified through a comprehensive search strategy in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and APA PsycArticles. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically using Atlas.ti, and aligned with the Context–Intervention–Mechanism–Outcome (CIMO) framework. PNs in the studies were young people living with HIV who provided education, counselling and adherence support to their peers who were ALHIV. Effective programmes featured structured training, supportive supervision, and flexible delivery models adapted to adolescents’ preferences. Mechanisms of change included trust-building, emotional support, disclosure coaching and empowerment. Reported outcomes included improved adherence, clinic attendance and various psychosocial indicators. However, challenges such as stigma, role ambiguity, limited remuneration, and lack of policy guidance constrained the sustainability and scalability of PN programs. Overall, peer navigation interventions appear effective in strengthening adolescent HIV care when PNs are adequately trained, supervised and contextually adapted. The variation in how peer navigation and support interventions for ALHIV are delivered and designed, along with the lack of standardization of the interventions, may affect the generalizability of the findings and the rollout of PN programs across SSA. Full article
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