Components of the Support-Education System of Orem’s Nursing Systems Theory in educational technologies for HIV prevention among adolescents and young people: a scoping review

Digital educational technologies have been widely used in HIV prevention among adolescents and young people, offering opportunities for health education in educational and community settings. However, many interventions lack explicit grounding in nursing theories, limiting the understanding of how they promote autonomy, self-care agency, and decision-making, core concepts for nursing practice and education. The Supportive-Educative System of Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory provides a robust framework to guide and evaluate educational interventions, highlighting the role of nursing in promoting self-care. This study aimed to map and analyze the presence of components of the Supportive-Educative System in digital technologies aimed at HIV prevention among adolescents and young people. A scoping review was conducted according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. Searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, and gray literature, with no language or time restrictions. Two independent reviewers conducted study selection and data extraction. Findings were synthesized narratively using the PAGER framework, with Orem’s Supportive-Educative System as the analytical lens. A total of 10,149 records were found; of these, thirty-six studies were included. The analysis showed greater emphasis on components related to teaching and guidance for self-care, particularly regarding HIV prevention. Components related to decision-making, autonomy development, and therapeutic interaction were less frequent. Despite the absence of explicit reference to Orem’s Theory, many contents demonstrated implicit alignment with its principles. The study shows that Orem’s Supportive-Educative System is a useful framework for analyzing and guiding digital technologies in HIV prevention, offering concrete contributions to nursing. The findings highlight the relevance of considering nursing theories in the analysis of digital health technologies, particularly in relation to autonomy and self-care. This perspective reinforces the conceptual contribution of nursing to discussions on digital health education.