Category Archives: Determinants of Health
Hormonal contraception decreases bacterial vaginosis but oral contraception may increase candidiasis: Implications for HIV transmission
OBJECTIVE: A 2012 WHO consultation concluded that combined oral contraception (COC) does not increase HIV acquisition in women, but the evidence for depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is conflicting. We evaluated...
Association of genital human papillomavirus infection with HIV acquisition: A systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies investigating the association of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and HIV acquisition. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA...
Factors mediating HIV risk among female sex workers in Europe: A systematic review and ecological analysis
OBJECTIVES: We reviewed the epidemiology of HIV and selected sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among female sex workers (FSWs) in WHO-defined Europe. There were three objectives: (1) to assess the prevalence...
Secrets and safety in the age of AIDS: Does HIV disclosure lead to safer sex?
To fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic, HIV-seropositive individuals must interact unsafely with HIV-seronegative individuals. Research indicates that up to one third of individuals diagnosed with HIV continue to have unprotected sex,...
Treatment non-adherence in pediatric long-term medical conditions: Systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies of caregivers’ views
BACKGROUND: Non-adherence to prescribed treatments is the primary cause of treatment failure in pediatric long-term conditions. Greater understanding of parents and caregivers’ reasons for non-adherence can help to address this...
Health and welfare effects of integrating AIDS treatment with food assistance in resource constrained settings: A systematic review of theory and evidence
The article systematically reviews theory and existing empirical evidence on the health and welfare effects of integrating AIDS treatment with food assistance. While theoretical predictions point to possible improvements in...
Prevalence of HIV and syphilis infections among long-distance truck drivers in China: A data synthesis and meta-analysis
By 2009, 46 national sentinel surveillance sites had been established for long-distance truck drivers (LDTDs) in China, but the overall disease burden of HIV and syphilis among LDTDs has remained...
The impact of HIV treatment on risk behaviour in developing countries: A systematic review
In developing countries, access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is improving as HIV treatment becomes a greater priority in the global fight against AIDS. While ART has clearly beneficial clinical effects,...
Treatment of syphilis in HIV-infected subjects: A systematic review of the literature
Background: The optimal antimicrobial regimen to treat syphilis in HIV-infected subjects remains controversial. Objective To systematically assess the literature for studies evaluating syphilis treatment regimens in this population. Methods: Two...
The paradigm of universal access to HIV-treatment and human rights violation: How do we treat HIV-positive people who use drugs?
HIV-positive people who use drugs (PWUDs) are particularly vulnerable for suboptimal access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We conducted a systematic review to identify factors associated with suboptimal HAART...
