Journals Information
Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 13(4), pp. 887 - 895
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130412
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Psychosocial Support Services for People Living with HIV: A Scoping Review
Evicenna Naftuchah Riani 1, Zahroh Shaluhiyah 2,*, Dian Ratna Sawitri 3, Muchlis AU Sofro 4
1 Doctoral Program of Public Health, Public Health Faculty, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia
2 Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
3 Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
4 Department of Internal Medicine, Dr Kariadi Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
Psychosocial support services play a critical role in enhancing the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly in addressing the complex psychological and social challenges they face in everyday life. These services encompass psychological interventions, counseling, social support, and empowerment initiatives aimed at helping individuals cope with stigma and discrimination. Although widely implemented, the effectiveness and diversity of psychosocial intervention models have yielded inconsistent outcomes. This scoping review aims to systematically examine the existing literature on psychosocial support for PLHIV, identify the most effective approaches, and elucidate the impact of such interventions on psychological well-being, treatment adherence, and social integration. Utilizing the PICO framework and Arksey and O'Malley's methodological approach, we screened studies from Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, EBSCO, and ScienceDirect, ultimately selecting 12 experimental studies published between 2019 and 2024. Interventions were categorized at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels. The key findings reveal that psychosocial interventions not only improve psychological outcomes for PLHIV but also enhance antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and strengthen social networks. Peer support programs emerged as particularly effective, significantly improving ART adherence, emotional well-being, and reducing stigma. Integrated mental health services enhanced care delivery and addressed structural barriers, while community-based collaborations improved accessibility but were constrained by systemic limitations. Digital tools increased self-efficacy but encountered challenges related to stigma. These findings underscore the necessity of embedding psychosocial support within broader HIV care systems. Future efforts should prioritize scalable, peer-driven models with embedded mental health services to ensure sustained and equitable support for PLHIV. This review contributes to the field by offering evidence-based insights for policy development and practical interventions, with implications for enhancing the psychosocial and clinical outcomes of PLHIV.
KEYWORDS
Psychosocial Support, People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Peer Support Programs, Mental Health Care HIV, A Scoping Review
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Evicenna Naftuchah Riani , Zahroh Shaluhiyah , Dian Ratna Sawitri , Muchlis AU Sofro , "Psychosocial Support Services for People Living with HIV: A Scoping Review," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 887 - 895, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130412.
(b). APA Format:
Evicenna Naftuchah Riani , Zahroh Shaluhiyah , Dian Ratna Sawitri , Muchlis AU Sofro (2025). Psychosocial Support Services for People Living with HIV: A Scoping Review. Universal Journal of Public Health, 13(4), 887 - 895. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130412.