Nurse training to enhance adherence counselling for HIV-tuberculosis coinfection in South Africa: Integrative review

Abstract

Background: South Africa has seen strides in reducing HIV and tuberculosis (TB); however, adherence counselling for people living with HIV (PLHIV) coinfected with TB remains a challenge, particularly in specific sub-districts like Cape Town. Understanding the attributes of existing training programmes is crucial.

Objectives: This study explored attributes of training programme development for nurses and other health professionals to enhance adherence counselling for PLHIV coinfected with TB in Cape Town.

Method: An integrative literature review was conducted in five steps following PRISMA guidelines. Electronic searches encompassed multiple databases: COCHRANE, PsycINFO, PUBMED, ENMBASE, Science Direct, SCOPUS, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete, Eric, SABINET, Health Resources and World Health Organization Global Health Library Regional Indexes. Inclusion criteria encompassed English language, peer-reviewed full-text studies on training programme development, qualitative and quantitative, published between January 2012 and May 2021. Exclusion criteria included non-English articles, conference proceedings and irrelevant studies. Thematic data analysis synthesised findings.

Results: Three main themes emerged: participant identification, key programme content and programme implementation process, crucial for effective training programme development.

Conclusion: Identifying participants, defining programme content and outlining implementation processes are pivotal in enhancing nurses’ adherence counselling skills. This approach could stabilise patient treatment adherence, potentially reducing treatment default, loss to follow-up and mortality rates.

Contribution: These findings lay the groundwork for developing effective training programmes aimed at improving adherence counselling among nurses.