{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,24]],"date-time":"2025-11-24T05:15:43Z","timestamp":1763961343073,"version":"3.45.0"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763683200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Antiretroviral adherence for incarcerated individuals living with HIV\/AIDS in correctional service facilities remains a challenge. This study examined the experiences of professional nurses related to this issue in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual approach was employed in the Correctional Services Department facilities within the Vhembe District. The professional nurses were purportedly sampled. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews and analysed thematically. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) professional nurses\u2019 experiences with incarcerated individuals from foreign countries; (2) manipulative behaviours; and (3) misuse of antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication by incarcerated individuals. Conclusion: For public policy, the findings require the development of standardised guidelines for the management of foreign national incarcerated individuals and the implementation of anti-diversion strategies to prevent misuse of medications. For nursing practice, the results emphasise the importance of specialised training programmes that equip nurses to manage manipulative behaviours, enhanced supervision systems addressing moral distress, and structured adherence monitoring, including direct observed therapy for high-risk incarcerated individuals. These evidence-based interventions are essential to improve the outcomes of ART adherence, reduce treatment failure and drug resistance, and decrease HIV-related mortality in correctional settings while protecting general public health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22121772","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T17:28:07Z","timestamp":1763746087000},"page":"1772","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Professional Nurses\u2019 Experiences Regarding Antiretroviral Adherence by Incarcerated Individuals Living with HIV and AIDS in Correctional Services"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"given":"Ntavhanyeni","family":"Mapholisa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Science Department, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Molotlegi St., Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mankuku Mary","family":"Madumo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Science Department, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Molotlegi St., Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6826-8316","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tshimangadzo Selina","family":"Mudau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Department, School of Nursing, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 238 Mazisi Kunene Road, Durban 4041, South Africa"},{"name":"Department of Development Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Preller St., Pretoria 0002, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3933-0950","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nkhensani Florence","family":"Mabunda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Science Department, School of Health Care Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Molotlegi St., Ga-Rankuwa 0208, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1","DOI":"10.1097\/QAI.0000000000003344","article-title":"Updated data and methods for the 2023 UNAIDS HIV estimates","volume":"95","author":"Mahy","year":"2024","journal-title":"JAIDS J. 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