{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,22]],"date-time":"2026-10-22T16:55:27Z","timestamp":1792688127804,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"AOSIS","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766016000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is key for preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission, but uptake is limited, especially in rural areas of South Africa. Nurses in primary healthcare (PHC) play a vital role in delivering PrEP, yet little is known about their knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) in this area.\nMethods:\u00a0A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 178 nurses from three healthcare facilities in the Mhlontlo sub-district of the OR Tambo District, Eastern Cape. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to assess demographic variables, PrEP-related knowledge, attitudes and practices.\nResults:\u00a0While 78.7% of participants were aware of PrEP, only 43.3% demonstrated comprehensive knowledge, and just 46.6% had ever initiated a client on PrEP. Community health centre (CHC) nurses demonstrated significantly better knowledge and practice than those in district hospitals (p\u00a0&lt; 0.001). Attitudes were generally positive, with 91.4% agreeing that PrEP is an effective HIV prevention method. However, 73.1% believed it could lead to increased transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The study identified barriers to PrEP implementation, including lack of training (57.9%), protocol shortages (25.3%) and insufficient time (40.4%).\nConclusion:\u00a0Primary care nurses demonstrate a high level of awareness and positive attitudes towards PrEP; however, knowledge and practice gaps persist. Primary care providers\u2019 capacity building through targeted training, integration and improved human and healthcare resources is vital to enhancing PrEP implementation for national HIV prevention.\nContribution:\u00a0This study highlighted the frontline primary care providers\u2019 vital roles in the PrEP for prevention of HIV infection in resource-limited rural healthcare settings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/safp.v67i1.6204","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T09:41:21Z","timestamp":1766050881000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Knowledge, attitudes and practices of primary care nurses regarding human immunodeficiency virus pre-exposure prophylaxis in Mhlontlo sub-district municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"67","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1488-9202","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olugboyega O.","family":"Akingbohungbe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02svzjn28","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Walter Sisulu University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8973-2133","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Parimalaranie","family":"Yogeswaran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02svzjn28","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Walter Sisulu University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5946-9135","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olukayode A.","family":"Adeleke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02svzjn28","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Walter Sisulu University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"WHO. 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Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2021;34(1):21\u201327."}],"container-title":["South African Family Practice"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/safpj.co.za\/index.php\/safpj\/article\/view\/6204\/10037","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T09:41:29Z","timestamp":1766050889000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/safpj.co.za\/index.php\/safpj\/article\/view\/6204"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]]},"references-count":24,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,9]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/safp.v67i1.6204","relation":{},"ISSN":["2078-6190","2078-6204"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2078-6190","type":"print"},{"value":"2078-6204","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]]},"article-number":"a6204"}}