Topic Editors

Prof. Dr. Greg Rebchook
Division of Prevention Science, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Prof. Dr. Susan Kegeles
Division of Prevention Science, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
Dr. Sophia Zamudio-Haas
Division of Prevention Science, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA

Social, Structural and Behavioral Interventions for HIV Prevention

Abstract submission deadline
30 April 2026
Manuscript submission deadline
30 June 2026
Viewed by
2193

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Evidence-based and -informed social, structural, and behavioral interventions have great potential to further reduce HIV transmission and synergistically improve the acceptability, adoption, persistence, feasibility, appropriateness, penetration, and fidelity of social, behavioral, and biomedical interventions including PrEP, PEP, and Treatment as Prevention (TasP). Biobehavioral interventions that combine social and medical prevention approaches have a critical role in ending the HIV epidemic. The scaling up of these tools has not produced sufficient declines in HIV incidence to reach global prevention targets, in part due to social, behavioral, implementation, and structural barriers that prevent available services from reaching populations who could benefit from them. More work is needed to improve health equity and to ensure that these tools effectively reach the key populations most impacted by HIV, including gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM); people of transgender experience; people involved in the sex trade; people who inject drugs; and people living with HIV. Racism, sexism, transphobia, lack of economic opportunities, and other social injustices continue to present barriers to ending the HIV epidemic. Papers addressing these topics, from a range of country and regional contexts globally, are invited for this Topic and may include quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods original research on intervention development, adaptation, implementation, evaluation, and/or outcomes.

Prof. Dr. Greg Rebchook
Prof. Dr. Susan Kegeles
Dr. Sophia Zamudio-Haas
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • HIV prevention interventions
  • implementation science
  • sexual and gender minorities
  • feasibility studies
  • homosexuality
  • male
  • transgender persons
  • sex work
  • substance use
  • intravenous

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
ijerph
- 8.5 2004 27.8 Days CHF 2500 Submit
Behavioral Sciences
behavsci
2.5 3.1 2011 29.6 Days CHF 2200 Submit
Sexes
sexes
0.9 - 2020 36.3 Days CHF 1200 Submit
Social Sciences
socsci
1.7 3.1 2012 34.5 Days CHF 1800 Submit
Psychology International
psycholint
- - 2019 18.7 Days CHF 1200 Submit

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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24 pages, 354 KiB  
Systematic Review
Tracking HIV Outcomes Among Key Populations in the Routine Health Information Management System: A Systematic Review
by Mashudu Rampilo, Edith Phalane and Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya
Sexes 2025, 6(3), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6030032 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 405
Abstract
Despite having the world’s largest HIV burden, South Africa has yet to attain the 95-95-95 targets. Accurate, complete, and timely data are critical for monitoring a country’s HIV progress. The integration of unique identifier codes (UICs) for key populations (KPs) into routine health [...] Read more.
Despite having the world’s largest HIV burden, South Africa has yet to attain the 95-95-95 targets. Accurate, complete, and timely data are critical for monitoring a country’s HIV progress. The integration of unique identifier codes (UICs) for key populations (KPs) into routine health information management systems (RHIMS) strengthens data accuracy and completeness, facilitating more targeted HIV interventions and greater accountability. This systematic review assessed how Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries have integrated KPs’ UICs into RHIMS, highlighting key enablers, challenges, and opportunities. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PLOS ONE, and various government and non-government websites to identify the published and grey literature relevant to the study objective from June 2013 to December 2024. References were managed using Zotero version 6.0.36. Two authors independently screened studies using Covidence software. The review was done in accordance with the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered with the “International Prospective Register of PROSPERO) Systematic Reviews” with the registration number CRD42023440656. Out of 1735 studies screened, 361 duplicates were removed. The review found that only nine of the fifty-three SSA countries have incorporated UICs for KPs into their RHIMS through alphanumeric codes. They include Burundi, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Kenya, Uganda, Togo, Malawi, and Liberia. Facilitators for KPs’ UIC adoption included strong data security and political will, whereas barriers encompassed compromised privacy, stigma and discrimination. In South Africa, the UIC for KPs can be integrated into the new electronic medical record (EMR) system. Full article
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20 pages, 689 KiB  
Article
“When Somebody Comes into This Country and You Are Trans on Top of That Is Like You Got… Two Strikes on You”: Intersectional Barriers to PrEP Use Among Latina Transgender Women in the Eastern and Southern United States
by Rodrigo A. Aguayo-Romero, Genesis Valera, Erin E. Cooney, Andrea L. Wirtz and Sari L. Reisner
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(5), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050659 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 724
Abstract
In the United States (U.S.), Latina transgender women (LTW) are highly burdened by HIV and are prioritized for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This study explored intersectional barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake among LTW. Between February–November 2022, in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 LTW [...] Read more.
In the United States (U.S.), Latina transgender women (LTW) are highly burdened by HIV and are prioritized for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This study explored intersectional barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake among LTW. Between February–November 2022, in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 LTW in the LITE Study. Participants were purposively sampled from 196 LTW in the cohort based on PrEP uptake (PrEP-naïve n = 8, PrEP-eligible and not user n = 5, current PrEP user n = 6, previous PrEP user n = 8). We conducted content analysis guided by a Modified Social Ecological Model and Intersectionality Framework. The mean age of participants was 32.3 (SD = 12.9). Themes were: (1) Intrapersonal: Medical distrust, acceptability of PrEP modalities, and concerns about long-term health; (2) Interpersonal: Mistreatment in healthcare, discrimination-related healthcare avoidance, difficulty finding trans-competent providers, language barriers, and shame and stigma; and (3) Structural: PrEP in the context of limited access to gender-affirming care and widespread silicone use, immigration status, economic marginalization, lack of community outreach, transphobia and anti-transgender legislative contexts, and xenophobia. This study found multilevel intersectional barriers influence PrEP uptake and persistence. Culturally tailored HIV prevention efforts are needed to address LTW-specific barriers, provide information on programs subsidizing PrEP, and implement policy change to ensure equitable PrEP access. Full article
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