Category Archives: Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
Same-day ART initiation, loss to follow-up and viral load suppression among people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: Systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: in 2015, the World Health Organization recommended early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation after HIV diagnosis. Mixed results on the effect of same-day ART initiation (SDI) over non-same-day ART initiation...
Association of vitamin D with HIV infected individuals, TB infected individuals, and HIV-TB co-infected individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a worldwide disease. VDD is also associated with an increased risk of HIV-related comorbidities and mortality, and patients have a tendency to develop active...
The effect of HIV and mpox co-infection on clinical outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: Co-infection with HIV and mpox is a significant issue for public health because of the potential combined impact on clinical outcomes. However, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of...
The pandemics of mass destruction: A Comparative analysis of HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Historically, humanity has suffered and endured deadly pandemics of varying mortality rates. Irrefutably, research shows that the outbreak of pandemics is flooded by mythical and fallacious information among the public,...
Exploring the experiences of peer support participation for HIV peer volunteers: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research
BACKGROUND: Gaining insights and feedback from HIV peer volunteers about their peer support practice is crucial for optimizing and enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of peer support for people with...
Prevalence and associated factors of herbal medicine use among patients living with chronic disease in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Complementary use of medicinal plants with prescribed drugs is becoming more widespread concern among people with chronic disease like cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension. Consequently, the purpose of this...
Efficacy of behavioral interventions to increase engagement in sexual health services among LatinX youth in the United States: A meta-analysis for post-pandemic implications
Introduction LatinX youth in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV and STIs, commonly attributed to a lack of diagnostic testing and regular physician consultations to address sexual health. These...
Interventions, barriers, and facilitators to address the sexual problems of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men living with HIV: A rapid scoping review
Sexual problems are common among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) after diagnosis with HIV. However, these are often overlooked in care and research, where...
Experiences of people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries and their perspectives in self-management: A meta-synthesis
INTRODUCTION: Availability of anti-retroviral treatment has changed HIV in to a manageable chronic disease, making effective self-management essential. However, only a few studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) reported...
Mental health burden among females living with HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Mental health problems, particularly depression and anxiety, are common in women and young girls living with HIV/ AIDS particularly in low- and middle-income (LMICs) countries where women’s vulnerability to psychiatric...
Disparities in COVID-19 mortality amongst the immunosuppressed: A systematic review and meta-analysis for enhanced disease surveillance
Background Effective disease surveillance, including that for COVID-19, is compromised without a standardised method for categorising the immunosuppressed as a clinical risk group. Methods We conducted a systematic review and...
