South African Sexual Assault Survivors' Experiences of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis and Individualized Nursing Care: A Qualitative Study

South African sexual assault survivors face the risk of potential HIV exposure, but relatively little is known about their experiences of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and post–sexual assault care. Researchers conducted 10 semistructured interviews with sexual assault survivors who had participated in an initial quantitative study of a post–sexual assault intervention that administered PEP and provided proactive individualized follow-up care. The qualitative study examined survivors' experiences of PEP and their participation in the initial observational study itself. Participants demonstrated a range of emotional reactions to PEP, while almost all equated their study experiences to positive interactions with the study nurses who administered PEP and provided informal psychosocial support. The results highlight important opportunities for nurses to enhance the quality of post–sexual assault care in order to improve patients' emotional and psychosocial outcomes and potentially increase the likelihood of survivor PEP adherence.