Category Archives: Determinants of Health
A systematic review of treatment fatigue among HIV-infected patients prescribed antiretroviral therapy
HIV treatment requires lifelong adherence to medication regimens that comprise inconvenient scheduling, adverse side effects, and lifestyle changes. Antiretroviral adherence and treatment fatigue have been inextricably linked. Adherence in HIV-infected...
Systematic review of stigma reducing interventions for African/Black diasporic women
INTRODUCTION: Literature indicates that racism, sexism, homophobia and HIV-related stigma have adverse impacts on health, well-being, and quality of life among HIV-positive women of African descent (African/Black diaspora). However, limited...
Syndemics of psychosocial problems and HIV risk: A systematic review of empirical tests of the disease interaction concept
In the theory of syndemics, diseases co-occur in particular temporal or geographical contexts due to harmful social conditions (disease concentration) and interact at the level of populations and individuals, with...
The impact of social services interventions in developing countries: A review of the evidence of impact on clinical outcomes in people living with HIV
BACKGROUND: Social service interventions have been implemented in many countries to help people living with HIV (PLHIV) and household members cope with economic burden as a result of reduced earning...
A systematic review of individual and contextual factors affecting ART initiation, adherence, and retention for HIV-infected pregnant and postpartum women
BACKGROUND: Despite progress reducing maternal mortality, HIV-related maternal deaths remain high, accounting, for example, for up to 24 percent of all pregnancy-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is...
Gender difference in advanced HIV disease and late presentation according to European consensus definitions
Effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy is limited for a large proportion of individuals living with HIV presenting for medical care at an advanced stage. Controversial results of gender differences...
Review: An urgent need for research on factors impacting adherence to and retention in care among HIV-positive youth and adolescents from key populations
INTRODUCTION: The 50% increase in HIV-related deaths in youth and adolescents (aged 10-24) from 2005 to 2012 highlights the need to improve HIV treatment and care in this population, including...
Safer disclosure of HIV serostatus for women living with HIV who experience or fear violence: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: Supporting individuals as they disclose their HIV serostatus may lead to a variety of individual and public health benefits. However, many women living with HIV are hesitant to disclose...
HIV/AIDS and minority men who have sex with men: A meta-ethnographic synthesis of qualitative research
The World Health Organization (2009) estimates that there are as many as 33 million people currently living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world. Studies also reveal that racial disparities significantly influence...
Hormonal contraceptive use and women’s risk of HIV acquisition: A meta-analysis of observational studies
BACKGROUND: The evidence from epidemiological research into whether use of hormonal contraception increases women’s risk of HIV acquisition is inconsistent. We did a robust meta-analysis of existing data to provide...
A comprehensive review of available epidemiologic and HIV service data for female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs in select West and Central African countries
OBJECTIVE: To identify gaps in epidemiologic and HIV service coverage data for key populations (KP), including men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), people who inject...
