Mapping evidence on interpersonal interactions between patients and healthcare workers, and their impact on patient retention in HIV care and viral suppression in Africa: a scoping review protocol

This scoping review aims to map the current body of evidence on healthcare worker-patient interactions in HIV care within Africa, with a focus on how these interpersonal dynamics influence patient engagement (particularly retention in care and viral suppression) in the context of the Universal Test and Treat (UTT) era. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology, guided by the Population-Concept-Context (PCC) framework, this review will include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies published in English from December 2016 onward. It will focus on studies conducted in public primary healthcare facilities in African countries involving adult populations living with HIV and their healthcare providers. The findings will identify key interpersonal and contextual barriers and facilitators to retention and viral suppression, highlight knowledge gaps, and inform future research, interventions, and policy aimed at strengthening person-centred HIV care in African health systems. The review will also adhere to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of methods and findings.