Category Archives: Health services
Towards universal voluntary HIV testing and counselling: A systematic review and meta-analysis of community-based approaches
BACKGROUND: Effective national and global HIV responses require a significant expansion of HIV testing and counselling (HTC) to expand access to prevention and care. Facility-based HTC, while essential, is unlikely...
Predictors of late presentation for HIV diagnosis: A literature review and suggested way forward
Early commencement of antiretroviral treatment can be beneficial and economical in the long run. Despite global advances in access to care, a significant proportion of adults presenting at HIV/AIDS care...
Does palliative care improve outcomes for patients with HIV/AIDS? A systematic review of the evidence
BACKGROUND: The need for palliative care in HIV management is underlined by the high prevalence of pain and symptoms, the toxicity, side effects, and virological failure associated with antiretroviral therapy,...
Effects of physician-nurse substitution on clinical parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Physicians’ shortage in many countries and demands of high-quality and affordable care make physician-nurse substitution an appealing workforce strategy. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic...
Use of hormonal contraceptives and HIV acquisition in women: A systematic review of the epidemiological evidence
Whether or not the use of hormonal contraception affects risk of HIV acquisition is an important question for public health. We did a systematic review, searching PubMed and Embase, aiming...
Partner notification uptake for sexually transmitted infections in China: A systematic literature review
Objective: China’s sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemic requires comprehensive control programmes. Partner services are traditional pillars of STI control but have not been widely implemented in China. This study was...
Redressing the epidemics of opioid overdose and HIV among people who inject drugs in Central Asia: The need for a syndemic approach
BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that opioid overdose and HIV infection are burgeoning intertwined epidemics among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Central Asia. To date, however, research on overdose and...
Understanding structural barriers to accessing HIV testing and prevention services among black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the United States
Structural-level factors have contributed to the substantial disproportionate rates of HIV among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the United States. Despite insufficient HIV testing patterns, however,...
Barriers and facilitating factors to the uptake of antiretroviral drugs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: To investigate and synthesize reasons for low access, initiation and adherence to antiretroviral drugs by mothers and exposed babies for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in sub-Saharan...
Estimating HIV prevalence and risk behaviors of transgender persons in the United States: A systematic review
Transgender populations in the United States have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This systematic review estimates the prevalence of HIV infection and risk behaviors of transgender persons. Comprehensive searches...
The assessment of complementary and alternative medicine use among individuals with HIV: A systematic review and recommendations for future research
OBJECTIVES: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), a group of health care practices and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine, has increased in recent years,...
