Category Archives: Health services
What is the global prevalence of depression among men who have sex with men? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Depression due to stigma resulting from their sexual identity, isolation, social exclusion, and insufficient access to care and counseling services has become a health problem among men who have sex...
Factors associated with catastrophic health expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
OBJECTIVE: A non-negligible proportion of sub-Saharan African (SSA) households experience catastrophic costs accessing healthcare. This study aimed to systematically review the existing evidence to identify factors associated with catastrophic health...
Do couple-based interventions show larger effects in promoting HIV preventive behaviors than individualized interventions in couples? A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials
This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the effects of couple-based prevention interventions against individual-level interventions on HIV prevention in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), identify potential moderators, and assess...
Access to, usage and clinic outcomes of, online postal sexually transmitted infection services: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: There has been considerable expansion in online postal self-sampling (OPSS) STI services in many parts of the UK, driven by increasing demand on sexual health services and developments in...
The potential of telecommunication technology to address racial/ethnic disparities in HIV PrEP awareness, uptake, adherence, and persistence in care: A review
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in preventing new HIV infection, but uptake remains challenging among Black and Hispanic/Latino persons. The purpose of this review was to understand how studies...
Frameworks and measures for HIV-related internalized stigma, stigma and discrimination in healthcare and in laws and policies: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: There is strong global commitment to eliminate HIV-related stigma, and work in this area continues to evolve. Wide variation exists in frameworks and measures used. METHODS: Building on the...
Systematic review: Development of a person-centered care framework within the context of HIV treatment settings in sub-Saharan Africa
OBJECTIVES: Person-centred care (PCC) meets the needs of individuals by increasing convenience, providing supportive and culturally appropriate services to diverse populations, and engaging families, communities, and stakeholders in planning and...
Interventions addressing the adolescent HIV continuum of care in South Africa: A systematic review and modified Delphi analysis
INTRODUCTION: Compared with adults, adolescents in South Africa have larger gaps at each step of the HIV continuum of care resulting in low levels of viral suppression. METHODS: We conducted...
Women living with HIV and dual contraceptive use in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Despite different preventive strategies that have been implemented in the country, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is still significantly increasing in Ethiopia. The concurrence of HIV and unintended pregnancy makes...
The Italian PrEPventHIV challenge: A scoping systematic review on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis monitoring in Italy
BACKGROUND AND AIM: In Italy, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) was authorized for HIV prevention in 2017. This scoping systematic review summarizes current evidence on...