Category Archives: Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
Global burden of hypertension among people living with HIV in the era of increased life expectancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Although HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) increase the risk for hypertension in people living with HIV (PLHIV), the global and regional burden of hypertension in PLHIV is not...
The recovery rate from severe acute malnutrition among under-five years of children remains low in sub-Saharan Africa. A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
BACKGROUND: Globally, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) has been reduced by only 11% over the past 20 years and continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. So far,...
Clinician barriers and facilitators to routine HIV testing: A systematic review of the literature
BACKGROUND: Routine HIV screening rates are suboptimal. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review identified barriers to/facilitators of routine HIV testing, categorized them using the socioecological model (SEM), and provided recommendations for interventions...
Global prevalence of HCV and/or HBV coinfections among people who inject drugs and female sex workers who live with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Coinfections of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are associated with high morbidity and mortality and poor prognosis. The main...
Bone fracture among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-regression of prevalence, incidence, and risk factors
INTRODUCTION: People living with HIV (PLWH) had a higher prevalence and incidence rate of bone fracture compared to general population. Although several studies have explored this phenomenon, the prevalence and...
Epidemiology of Cryptosporidium infections among people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: Results of systematic review and meta-analysis
PURPOSE: Cryptosporidium is implicated in diarrhea epidemics in many parts of the world and is said to be the most common protozoan cause of diarrhea among people living with HIV/AIDS...
A comparative analysis of blood pressure in HIV-infected patients versus uninfected controls residing in Sub-Saharan Africa: A narrative review
Elevated blood pressure (BP) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We reviewed the literature comparing BP in treated HIV-infected populations against untreated...
Clostridium difficile in immunocompromised hosts: A review of epidemiology, risk factors, treatment, and prevention
Clostridium difficile is a significant pathogen in healthcare today, impacting both hospitalized and community-based patients. Immunocompromised patients experience a high incidence of C. difficile infection, ranging from 6% to 33%...
Is sexual risk behaviour associated with an increased risk of transfusion-transmissible infections in blood donors from Western and Pacific countries? A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The donor medical questionnaire is designed to aid blood establishments in supporting a safe blood supply. According to blood donor deferral policies, sexual risk behaviour (SRB) leads...
Adolescent mothers affected by HIV and their children: A scoping review of evidence and experiences from sub-Saharan Africa
While adolescents have received increasing attention in the global HIV response and international strategies and commitments, adolescent mothers and their children remain largely overlooked in research, funding and, programming for...
Socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for HIV transmission in female bar workers in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review
BACKGROUND: Although sex workers are considered a key population in the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), less consideration has been given to female bar workers (FBW), whose primary occupation...
