SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS
1813-4424 (Online)
1.8 (2024) Impact Factor
1.6 (2024) 5-year IF
3.2 (2024) CiteScore
Accredited with the DHET (SAPSE)
Latest Issue
Volume 22, Issue 1, 2025
Research Article
Physical activity and exercise for older people living with HIV – the perceptions of health care professionals
Using interactive SMS support groups to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission in South Africa: a qualitative analysis of social and psychological benefits
Articles
Provision of HIV testing services and its impact on the HIV positivity rate in the public health sector in KwaZulu-Natal: a ten-year review
Sexual behaviour among Kenyan adolescents enrolled in an efficacy trial of a smartphone game to prevent HIV: a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data
Aims & Scope
Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS (SAHARA-J) publishes open access research on social factors relating to HIV/AIDS from Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries.
The journal is published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of SAHARA, the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Alliance, which is part of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). SAHARA is an alliance of partners established to conduct, support and use social sciences research to prevent the further spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of its devastation in sub-Saharan Africa.
Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS (SAHARA-J) publishes peer-reviewed research of the highest quality and has a unique reputation for editorial excellence and integrity. The journal's readership includes academics, scholars, researchers, journalists, international organizations, policy makers, civil society, donors and PLWHA. The journal aims to:
Inform policy makers and influence policy and responses through evidence-based research provide a publication source for all aspects of HIV/AIDS in Africa disseminate free HIV/AIDS information in Africa minimize duplication and build a community of researchers on social aspects of HIV/AIDS.
The Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS (SAHARA-J) disseminates vital open access research on social factors relating to HIV/AIDS. Areas covered include, but are not limited to:
Care and support
Behaviour change and behavioural surveillance
Counselling, impact and mitigation
Stigma and discrimination
Prevention, treatment and adherence
Culture and faith-based approaches
Evidence-based intervention
Health communication
Structural and environmental intervention
Financing, policy and media
The journal publishes original articles, reviews, research articles, opinions, correspondence, news and views, and commentary.
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2004-current Published as SAHARA-J publishing in open access since 2004.
Editors
Editorial board
Please send inquiries via email to saharaj@hsrc.ac.za
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Nompumelelo Zungu, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa
Editors
Dr. Martin Weihs, Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa. Email: mweihs@hsrc.ac.za
Mr. Levi Tshizubu Mutombo, National Multisector, Programme against AIDS, Democratic Republic of Congo, Email: levitshizubu@yahoo.fr
Journal Manager
Dr. Inbarani Naidoo. Email: inaidoo@hsrc.ac.za
Managing Editor
Dr. Shandir Ramlagan. Email: sramlagan@hsrc.ac.za
Editorial Assistant
Adlai Davids Email: asdavids@hsrc.ac.za
Editorial Board
Adamson Muula (University of Malawi, Malawi)
Brooke Schoepf (Harvard University, USA)
Busisiwe Bhengu (University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)
Carol Dawson-Rose (University of California, USA)
Christa Beyers (University of Free State, South Africa)
Christina Jordaan (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa)
Cuca Yvette (University of California San Francisco, USA)
David Gisselquist (Independent consultant, USA)
Desire Kamazi (Kigali Institute for Health, Rwanda)
Doriccah Peu (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
Elias Mpofu (The Pennsylvania State University, USA/Zimbabwe)
Isabella Ziyane (University of Swaziland, Swaziland)
Janet Seeley (University of East Anglia, Norwich)
Jean Akamba (Edwin Cozens Protestant University, Cameroon)
Jean Baxen (Rhodes University, South Africa)
Jean McNiff (York St John University, United Kingdom)
Jeanne Kemppainen (University of North Carolina, USA)
Jim Lees (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
Johanna Geldenhuys (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa)
Johnnie Hay (University of Free State)
Kathleen Pithouse-Morgan (University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)
Kathleen Sullivan (University of Hawaii, Hawaii)
Kim Richards (USAID, Zimbabwe)
Kofi Awusabo-Asare (University of Cape Coast, Ghana)
Lesley Wood (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa)
Lewis Aptekar (San Jose State University, USA)
Liesel Ebersohn (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
Linda Theron (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
Louise Pretorius (University of Namibia, Namibia)
Lukas Meyer (North-West University, South Africa)
Marguerite Timite-Konan (University of South Africa, South Africa)
Maria De Bruyn (ATHENA Network, USA)
Mario Stevens (WISH Association, South Africa)
Martin Weihs (Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa)
Maurice Mbago (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Mmapelo Sabone (University of Botswana, Botswana)
Negussie Taffa (Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa)
Paul Webb (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa)
Paula Akugizibwe (AIDS & Right Alliance for Southern Africa, South Africa)
Peter Bugama (Mekerere University, Uganda)
Priscilla Dlamini (University of Natal, South Africa)
Rebecca Schnall (Columbia University School of Nursing, USA)
Richard Ganga-Limando (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
Sam Friedman (National Development and Research Institutes, New York)
Sanjay Garg (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Sarie Human (University of South Africa, South Africa)
Scholastika Iipinge (University of Namibia, Namibia)
Shakila Reddy (Univesity of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa)
Tania Vergnani (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)
Tara Walhart (University of California, USA)
Theressa Rossow (University of Pretoria & Tshwane District Hospital, South Africa)
William Holzemer (The State University of New Jersey, USA)
Instructions for Authors
Instructions for Authors
Peer Review and Ethics
The publisher is committed to peer-review integrity and upholding the highest standards of review. Once your paper has been assessed for suitability by the editor, it will then be double anonymized peer reviewed by independent, anonymous expert referees, each delivering at least one report. If you have shared an earlier version of your Author's Original Manuscript on a preprint server, please be aware that anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Further information on our preprints policy and citation requirements can be found on our Preprints Author Services page. Find out more about what to expect during peer review and read our guidance on publishing ethics.
Preparing Your Paper
Structure
Your paper should be compiled in the following order: title page; abstract; keywords; main text introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion; acknowledgments; declaration of interest statement; references; appendices (as appropriate); table(s) with caption(s) (on individual pages); figures; figure captions (as a list).
Word Limits
Please include a word count for your paper. There are no word limits for papers in this journal.
Style Guidelines
Please use British (-ise) spelling style consistently throughout your manuscript.
Please use single quotation marks, except where 'a quotation is "within" a quotation'.
Please note that long quotations should be indented without quotation marks.
Authors should provide the authors' affiliations of no more than 20 words for each member of the authoring team as in the below format. This format is available in the style guidelines which appears at the aforementioned link.
Formatting and Templates
Papers may be submitted in Word format. Figures should be saved separately from the text. To assist you in preparing your paper, we provide formatting template(s). Please see further detail here.
Word templates are available for this journal. Please save the template to your hard drive, ready for use.
If you are not able to use the template via the links (or if you have any other template queries) please contact us.
References
Please use the reference style when preparing your paper which is available here. An EndNote output style is also available to assist you.
Please refer to the full checklist available at the above link.
Submitting Your Paper
This journal uses Taylor & Francis' Submission Portal to manage the submission process. The Submission Portal allows you to see your submissions across Taylor & Francis' journal portfolio in one place. To submit your manuscript please click here.
Please note that Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS: SAHARA-J uses Crossref™ to screen papers for unoriginal material. By submitting your paper to Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS: SAHARA-J you are agreeing to originality checks during the peer-review and production processes.
On acceptance, we recommend that you keep a copy of your Accepted Manuscript.
This journal applies the Taylor & Francis Basic Data Sharing Policy. Authors are encouraged to share or make open the data supporting the results or analyses presented in their paper where this does not violate the protection of human subjects or other valid privacy or security concerns. Please refer to the Journal's Data Sharing Policy available here.
Copyright Options
Copyright allows you to protect your original material, and stop others from using your work without your permission. Read more on publishing agreements at the aforementioned link.
Complying with Funding Agencies
We will deposit all National Institutes of Health or Wellcome Trust funded papers into PubMedCentral on behalf of authors, meeting the requirements of their respective open access policies. If this applies to you, please tell our production team when you receive your article proofs, so we can do this for you. Check funders OA policies on the link provided.