Effectiveness of Telehealth in HIV Management for People Living with HIV and Key Populations: A Systematic Review of Models, Adherence, Viral Suppression, and Behavioral Outcomes

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a global health problem that causes many deaths, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most HIV cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. In efforts to manage HIV, technologies such as telehealth have begun to be considered as an effective solution, both in high- and low-income countries. This study aims to identify telehealth models used in low-, middle-, and high-income countries and to evaluate their impact on treatment adherence, viral load, and HIV disease management. This study answers the question: “What telehealth models are used in countries with different income levels, and how do they impact HIV/AIDS patients?” This literature review was conducted between February and April 2025 by searching five databases: PubMed, Sage, ProQuest, Scopus, and ScienceDirect, covering the last 10Aÿyears, from January 2015 to January 2025. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were original articles on the use of telehealth in HIV patients. Article selection was conducted using the PRISMA flowchart, and quality assessment was conducted using the Quality Assessment of Risk of Bias (RoB 2.0). Of the 4739 articles found, 11 articles met the criteria with four main themes: telehealth models, improving treatment adherence, reducing viral load, and the impact of telehealth on HIV management. The results of this study indicate that telehealth models vary, but their benefits have been proven significant in HIV management, especially in resource-limited countries, and they can improve treatment adherence and reduce viral load

• Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
  • Determinants of Health
• Determinants of Health
  • Social support
  • Health services
  • Stigma/discrimination
• Population(s)
  • Men who have sex with men
  • Transgender communities
  • People who use drugs
  • Sex workers
  • General HIV+ population
• Prevention, Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Prevention
• Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Retention in care
  • Treatment
• Prevention
  • Education/media campaigns
• Health Systems
  • Financial arrangements
  • Delivery arrangements