Curationis provides a forum for cutting-edge theories and research models related to the exploration of issues experienced and the best practices of nurses and midwives so as to improve nursing education, nursing administration and community nursing within Africa.

Background: South Africa’s higher education institutions (HEIs) continue to face challenges in implementing inclusive language policies that integrate indigenous African languages into academic settings, even three decades after apartheid. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) face significant challenges in integrating indigenous African languages into academic settings. Despite progressive reforms, higher education institutions face significant challenges in integrating indigenous African languages into academic settings. Objectives: This scoping review aims to evaluate the current state of language policy implementation in South African public HEis. Specifically, it seeks to: (1) map the integration of multilingual policies into teaching, research, and administrative practices; (2) identify persistent barriers to effective policy implementation; (3) explore successful strategies for promoting multilingualism (4) assess the extent of African language usage in academic contexts; and (5) identify research gaps to guide future investigations. Methods: The review will adhere to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and follow the framework outlined by Arksey and O’Malley, ensuring a systematic and transparent approach. A comprehensive search will be conducted in databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, and African Journals Online (AJOL), covering studies published from 1994 to the present. This will be supplemented by grey literature from government and institutional sources. Three independent reviewers will screen studies using predefined eligibility criteria, managing and screening articles through Rayyan. Data will be extracted using a standardized form, and thematic analysis will synthesize the findings, with stakeholder consultation to validate results. Expected outcomes: This review will provide a comprehensive assessment of language policy implementation, highlighting successful strategies and persistent challenges across institutions. The findings will inform policy refinement, identify effective practices, and guide future research directions for achieving linguistically inclusive higher education in South Africa, while contributing to a broader understanding of implementing multilingual policies in post-colonial educational contexts. This protocol is preregistered on OSF, available at https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/AU2SD

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and allied (LGBTQIA+) individuals encounter challenges with access and engagement with health services. Studies have reported that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience stigma, discrimination, and health workers’ microaggression when accessing health care. Compelling evidence suggests that the LGBTQIA+ community faces disproportionate rates of HIV infection, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and other noncommunicable diseases. The South African National Strategic Plan for HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections, 2023-2028 recognizes the need for providing affirming LGBTQIA+ health care as part of the country’s HIV or AIDS response strategy. However, current anecdotal evidence suggests paucity of LGBTQIA+ and key populations’ health content in the undergraduate health science curricula in South Africa. Moreover, literature reveals a general lack of health worker training regarding the health needs of LGBTQIA+ persons and other key populations such as sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men. Objective: This study aimed to describe the design of a project that aims at facilitating the inclusion of health content related to the LGBTQIA+ community and other key populations in the undergraduate nursing curricula of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: A multimethods design encompassing collection of primary and secondary data using multiple qualitative designs and quantitative approaches will be used to generate evidence that will inform the co-design, testing, and scale-up of strategies to facilitate the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ and key populations content in the undergraduate nursing curricula in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data will be collected using a combination of convenience, purposive, and snowball sampling techniques from LGBTQIA+ persons; academic staff; undergraduate nursing students; and other key populations. Primary data will be collected through individual in-depth interviews, focus groups discussions, and surveys guided by semistructured and structured data collection tools. Data collection and analysis will be an iterative process guided by the respective research design to be adopted. The continuous quality improvement process to be adopted during data gathering and analysis will ensure contextual relevance and sustainability of the resultant co-designed strategies that are to be scaled up as part of the overarching objective of this study. Results: The proposed study is designed in response to recent contextual empirical evidence highlighting the multiplicity of health challenges experienced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and key populations in relation to health service delivery and access to health care. The potential findings of the study may be appropriate for contributing to the education of nurses as one of the means to ameliorate these problems. Data collection is anticipated to commence in June 2024. Conclusions: This research has potential implications for nursing education in South Africa and worldwide as it addresses up-to-date problems in the nursing discipline as it pertains to undergraduate students’ preparedness for addressing the unique needs and challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community and other key populations. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/52250

Background: Despite significant advancements in HIV prevention, Africa continues to bear a disproportionately high burden of new infections. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has demonstrated over 90% efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition when taken consistently; however, its implementation and uptake across African countries remain suboptimal. Objective: This scoping review aims to systematically map existing literature on PrEP uptake and implementation in Africa, identify key barriers and facilitators influencing access and adherence, examine targeted population groups, and explore policy and programmatic approaches to PrEP delivery across diverse African contexts. Methods: The review will follow the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, refined by Levac et al., and will include comprehensive searches of electronic databases, grey literature, and official reports. Data will be thematically synthesized to identify research trends, gaps, and contextual variations. Expected Outcomes: The findings will provide a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of PrEP implementation in Africa, highlighting research trends, contextual variations across countries, and gaps in service delivery and policy frameworks. This will inform future implementation strategies, guide evidence-based approaches to enhance PrEP uptake, and support policymaking to scale up effective interventions across diverse African settings, ultimately contributing to HIV prevention efforts on the continent.

Mobile health clinics (MHCs) serve as an alternative HIV care delivery method for the HIV-burdened eThekwini district. This study aimed to describe and profile the HIV care services provided by the MHCs through process evaluation. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative evaluation study was performed on 137 MHCs using total population sampling. An online data collection method using a validated 50-item researcher-developed instrument was administered to professional nurses who are MHC team leaders, following ethical approval from the local university and departments of health. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The results described that HIV care services are offered in open spaces (43%), community buildings (37%), solid built buildings called health posts (15%), vehicles (9%), and tents (2%) with no electricity (77%), water (55%), and sanitation (64%). Adults (97%) are the main recipients of HIV care in MHCs (90%) offering antiretroviral therapy (95%). Staff, monitoring, and retaining care challenges were noted, with good linkage (91%) and referral pathways (n = 123.90%). In conclusion, the standardization and prioritization of HIV care with specific contextual practice guidelines are vital.

Human immunodeficiency virus remains a persistent public health challenge in Africa, with cultural and religious beliefs influencing testing and prevention behaviors. Understanding these influences is important for developing culturally appropriate interventions. This scoping review protocol outlines a plan to systematically map the existing literature on the impact of traditional and religious beliefs, and the roles of traditional and religious leaders, on HIV testing and prevention behaviors across African contexts. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, the review will progress through six methodical stages. By identifying, analyzing, and summarizing the relevant literature and consulting stakeholders, this review aims to inform the development of culturally informed public health interventions and identify areas requiring further research. The intended outcome is a structured overview of how traditional and religious beliefs and leaders shape HIV testing and prevention behaviors, identifying contextual factors to guide the creation of effective HIV prevention programs within African communities. This scoping review protocol has been shared on Open Science Framework (OSF).