Category Archives: Health services
Psychological distress experiences among patients living with HIV: A qualitative systematic review
BACKGROUND: HIV patients endure psychological distress throughout the phases of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, which considerably affects their quality of life. A thorough comprehension of patients’ psychological distress experiences is...
Culturally competent HIV prevention for African, Caribbean, and Black communities and Indigenous Peoples
Key take-home messages Developing culturally sensitive approaches and materials helps ensure HIV prevention interventions are relevant, acceptable, and responsive to the needs of the intended population groups. Close collaboration with...
Risk of HIV transmission by healthcare workers—A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Occupational HIV infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) has declined markedly in high-income countries as a result of improved infection prevention and control, safety-engineered devices, and the widespread availability of...
Implementation of point of care HIV viral load monitoring for people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review on implementation research outcomes
BACKGROUND: Viral load monitoring has rapidly increased among people living with HIV(PLHIV) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), resulting in an increased laboratory workload. The use of innovative Point of...
Worldwide changes in HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV: A cross-temporal meta-analysis and systematic review
Background: HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV has emerged as a growing public health concern, yet limited longitudinal data are available to characterize its evolution over time. In this study,...
Barriers and facilitators influencing PrEP uptake among men who have sex with men and transgender women in the United States: A systematic review
In the United States, men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) have high HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness, yet uptake rates remain extremely low. This signifies...
Global Perspectives on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Care Providers’ Awareness, Willingness, and Barriers
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess health care providers’ awareness, willingness, and key barriers in implementing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for...
A web of risk: Multilevel factors and feedback loops (re)produce HIV ‘risk’ among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men—A global systematic review
BACKGROUND: HIV literature shows that gay, bisexual and men who have sex with other men (GBMSM) experience inequities across social and contextual factors. Given growing inequities, this study used complex...
Commonality and co-occurrence of discrete strategies within implementation strategy bundles: Findings from the Living Database of HIV Implementation Science systematic review, 2014-2021
Background HIV services and innovations are delivered through implementation strategy bundles that are often complex, comprising numerous discrete strategies. Systematically characterizing the use patterns of discrete strategies may inform strategy...
Understanding antiretroviral therapy adherence in children with HIV: A review of barriers and strategies
INTRODUCTION: Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability, maintaining optimal adherence remains difficult, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This literature review synthesized evidence on barriers and interventions influencing...
Harm reduction progams and interventions for equity-deserving populations who use crack-cocaine. A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Crack-cocaine use is associated with severe physical and mental health consequences, including cardiac, pulmonary and psychiatric conditions. It also heightens the risk of overdose and transmission of infectious diseases...
Role of pharmacists in HIV prophylaxis: A scoping review of pharmacists’ services, interventions and outcomes
INTRODUCTION: HIV remains a major global public health challenge, with nearly 1.3 million new HIV acquisitions annually. Despite the effectiveness of pre-exposure (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), barriers to access,...
