Leonardo Nunes Pereira, Michelly da Costa Cavalcante Muniz, Analú Carvalho de Lavôr, Vencelau Jackson da Conceição Pantoja, Larissa Macedo Franzotti, Patricia Rodrigues da Silva, Isaias Lopes, Rubens Alex de Oliveira Menezes
This project is a scoping review protocol designed to map digital technologies used to support HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and their integration with other combination HIV prevention strategies. The review will examine technologies intended for individuals who are eligible for, considering, or currently using PrEP, as well as healthcare professionals and other workers involved in its provision, counseling, referral, or follow-up. The review will include educational, communication-based, and care-related digital technologies, such as mobile applications, websites, digital platforms, social media, text messaging, chatbots, telehealth interventions, digital games, videos, and interactive systems. These technologies may support different stages of the PrEP continuum, including awareness, eligibility assessment, decision-making, access, initiation, appropriate use, adherence, persistence, and follow-up. Technologies integrating PrEP with HIV testing, condom use, post-exposure prophylaxis, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, harm reduction, counseling, and linkage to healthcare services will also be considered. The protocol was developed in accordance with the methodological recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and will be reported following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews. Searches will be conducted in major health and multidisciplinary databases, as well as gray literature sources, without restrictions regarding publication year or geographical setting. Study selection and data extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by consensus or consultation with a third reviewer. The review will identify the main types, purposes, contents, functionalities, implementation contexts, development and evaluation procedures, barriers, facilitators, and evidence gaps related to digital technologies supporting PrEP. It will also examine issues such as usability, acceptability, accessibility, engagement, digital literacy, privacy, information security, connectivity, and digital exclusion. The findings will contribute to the development of a PrEP-centered care and educational technology integrated with combination HIV prevention. They will also be combined with the results of a situational assessment involving users and healthcare professionals in Macapá, Brazil, to support the development of an evidence-based technology adapted to local informational needs and contextual characteristics.