Interventions for subjective and objective social isolation among people living with HIV: A scoping review

Subjective and objective social isolation has been a globally significant public health issue for people living with HIV, yet little is known about the characteristics, effectiveness, and acceptability of available interventions. The purpose of this scoping review was to systematically identify and map the available evidence on interventions for subjective and objective social isolation among people living with HIV. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index, PsycArticles, CINAHL, ProQuest Dissertation & Theses Global, OpenGrey, Google Scholar, international trial registers, and websites for eligible studies from their inception to June 1, 2024. We included any studies that identified subjective or objective social isolation as a primary goal or outcome of an intervention for people living with HIV (≥18 years old). Two researchers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and data analysis. A ‘basic qualitative content analysis’ approach was used to analyze the findings of the included studies. Of the 12762 records identified, 19 full-text studies involving 961 participants were included in this scoping review. Overall, we identified seven interventions for subjective and objective social isolation among people living with HIV, as well as their characteristics, including psychological therapy, support group intervention, online support community, peer mentorship, navigation-type intervention, activity intervention, and knowledge/skills development intervention. However, there was limited, mixed evidence on the effectiveness and acceptability of different interventions for subjective and objective social isolation among people living with HIV. More rigorously designed and large-scale randomized control trials are needed to support and enrich existing evidence further.