Category Archives: Epidemiology
Pediatrics HIV-positive status disclosure and its predictors in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: HIV-positive status disclosure for children is challenging for family members, guardians, and healthcare professionals. Disclosure is very challenging, particularly for children, yet no systematic synthesis of evidence accurately measures...
Condom use and risk factors of inconsistent or low use of the condoms during heterosexual anal intercourse in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Anal intercourse (AI) has been reported to be the riskiest among other sexual intercourses in spreading human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the risk could be minimized by the use...
The demographic and socioeconomic correlates of behavior and HIV infection status across sub-Saharan Africa
Background: Predisposition to become HIV positive (HIV + ) is influenced by a wide range of correlated economic, environmental, demographic, social, and behavioral factors. While evidence among a candidate handful have...
Determinants of voluntary counseling and testing service uptake among adult sub-Saharan Africans: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: To examine the major determinants of VCT service uptake among adults in SSA. Methods: Electronic databases were searched to identify eligible English language publications. Reporting of the study selection...
Incidence and mortality of non-AIDS-defining cancers among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) are now becoming a rising cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. We conducted a systematic review...
Screening performance of C-reactive protein for active pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-positive patients: A systematic review with a meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of mortality worldwide. In the last years, resistant strains of the etiological agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, have emerged, thus demanding more triage tests...
Multimorbidity of communicable and non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review is to analyse existing evidence on prevalence, patterns, determinants, and healthcare challenges of communicable and non-communicable disease multimorbidity in low- and middle-income countries...
Safety and efficacy of abacavir for treating infants, children, and adolescents living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor recommended in paediatric HIV care. We assessed the safety and efficacy profile of abacavir used in first, second, or subsequent lines of treatment...
Suicidality among people living with HIV from 2010 to 2021: A systematic review and a meta-regression
OBJECTIVE: The association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS and suicidality is not well understood, partly because of variability in results. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the predictive value of HIV/acquired...
Prevalence of cryptococcal meningitis among people living with human immuno-deficiency virus and predictors of mortality in adults on induction therapy in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a leading cause of adult meningitis in countries with a high burden of HIV. It has remained a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in...
Comparing the effects of oral HIV self-testing with those of standard HIV testing for men who have sex with men (MSM): A systematic review and meta-analysis
The WHO recommends HIV self-testing (HIVST) as an innovative strategy and an additional testing approach to attain UNAIDS targets to end HIV by 2030. HIVST is a process whereby a...
HIV prevalence ratio of international migrants compared to their native-born counterparts: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: People on the move, including international migrants, may face health inequities that expose them to a higher risk for HIV than native-born populations. We conducted a systematic review to calculate...
