A Review of Multi-Component Venue-Based Interventions: Impact on Condom Utilisation and HIV Incidence Among Women in South Africa’s Mining Communities

Women in South Africa’s mining communities, such as Rustenburg, experience a disproportionately high burden of HIV. This vulnerability is exacerbated by social and economic factors, including transactional sex and alcohol use associated with drinking venues. Interventions based at these venues are considered a strategic method to reach this key population. This review synthesises and analyses evidence on the impact of multi-component, venue-based interventions on condom use and HIV incidence among women in Rustenburg’s mining communities. It evaluates intervention effectiveness and identifies components of successful programmes. A systematic review of published and grey literature was undertaken. Included studies evaluated multi-component interventions (e.g., HIV education, condom distribution, peer navigation) delivered in or near alcohol-serving venues in Rustenburg, with measured outcomes on condom use or HIV incidence among women. Integrated, venue-based interventions demonstrated potential for increasing condom use. Programmes combining structural, behavioural, and biomedical components were consistently more effective than single-strategy approaches. One key finding was a reported increase in consistent condom use of up to 30% in programmes with substantial peer educator involvement. Multi-component, venue-based interventions are a viable HIV prevention strategy for women in mining communities. Their effectiveness depends on addressing the interconnected determinants of risk through combined, evidence-based approaches. Future interventions should be co-designed with community input and employ integrated structural, behavioural, and biomedical strategies. Sustainable scale-up requires dedicated funding and integration into broader public health systems. Further implementation research is needed to optimise delivery and assess long-term impact on HIV incidence. HIV prevention, venue-based intervention, condom use, mining communities, South Africa, women, alcohol venues. This review consolidates critical evidence on venue-based HIV prevention for a high-risk population, offering a focused analysis for policymakers and practitioners designing interventions in similar resource-limited settings.