Category Archives: Health services
Pre-exposure prophylaxis access, uptake and usage by young people: A systematic review of barriers and facilitators
BACKGROUND: Young people’s sexual health decision-making, including decisions to access and adhere to HIV prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), are influenced by a range of internal and external...
Opportunistic infections among schoolchildren who were on antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: The most common and severe cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV- positive children is opportunistic infections (OIs). All HIV-infected children are at risk of developing a variety of...
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV healthcare delivery for females in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), females are disproportionately impacted by HIV and face generalized but also gendered social and economic barriers to accessing HIV healthcare and services. At the outset of...
Gender disparity in health-related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a key outcome indicator in antiretroviral therapy program. In Ethiopia, primary studies on gender disparity in HRQoL among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA)...
Predictors of maternal HIV acquisition during pregnancy and lactation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
OBJECTIVES: To eliminate vertical transmission of HIV, global institutions recommend using a risk-guided approach for HIV prevention services in antenatal and postnatal settings. Identifying predictors of maternal HIV acquisition can...
Community-based psychosocial support interventions to reduce stigma and improve mental health of people with infectious diseases: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Stigma experienced by people with infectious diseases impedes access to care, leading to adverse psychosocial consequences. Community-based interventions could prevent or mitigate these consequences but lack robust evidence. This...
Prevalence and associated factors of HIV among female sex workers in Eastern and Southern Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Female sex workers (FSWs) are marginalized groups of the population who have limited access to healthcare and a higher risk of HIV infection due to biobehavioral and structural risk...
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy and its associated factors among children living with HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Children living with HIV in low-income settings, such as in Eastern and Southern Africa, are at a high risk for poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy. However, various primary studies presented...
Transitions in treatment: A systematic review and meta-aggregation of preferences and barriers in switching from oral to long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV and stakeholders
INTRODUCTION: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has significantly enhanced health outcomes for people living with HIV (PLWH). With the evolution of treatment options, there is an increasing interest in the development of...
Understanding human papillomavirus vaccine response and efficacy in people living with HIV: A systematic mixed studies review and meta-analysis
Coinfection with human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV compounds the risks of developing cervical, anal, and HPV-associated oral neoplasia. Safe prophylactic vaccines are available to prevent HPV infections in people with...
Caring for a young child who is HIV exposed and whose HIV status is not yet known: A scoping review of mothers’ experiences
Living with HIV can affect mothers’ wellbeing, functioning, and experiences of caregiving. Most research about caregiving in the context of HIV comes from studies of dyads where both mother and...
Peer-led adjunctive interventions for increasing the reach of HIV prevention and care interventions to Latino/x/e men who have sex with men: A scoping review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Latino/x/e men who have sex with men (LMSM) in the United States are disproportionately affected by HIV. Peer-led adjunctive interventions show promise for enhancing engagement in HIV...
