Category Archives: Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
Inferring the multiplicity of founder variants initiating HIV-1 infection: A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis
Background: HIV-1 infections initiated by multiple founder variants are characterised by a higher viral load and a worse clinical prognosis than those initiated with single founder variants, yet little is known...
Chinese herbal medicine for drug-induced liver injury in patients with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
BACKGROUND: To explore the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). METHODS: A systematic...
Chemsex and chemsex associated substance use among men who have sex with men in Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chemsex has been reported by multiple systematic reviews among men who have sex with men (MSM) focussing predominantly on the Global North. An Asian perspective with...
Anti-cytomegalovirus preemptive therapy to prevent cytomegalovirus disease in HIV-infected patients: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: HIV patients are at higher risk of contracting and developing into an asymptomatic form of CMV infection. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preemptive therapy...
Accuracy of self-diagnosis in conditions commonly managed in primary care: Diagnostic accuracy systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of self-diagnosis compared with a clinical diagnosis for common conditions in primary care. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Cochrane Database...
The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery and treatment outcomes in people living with HIV: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 epidemic and various control and mitigation measures to combat the widespread outbreak of the disease may affect other parts of health care systems. There is a concern...
A review of factors associated with methadone maintenance treatment adherence and retention in Vietnam
BACKGROUND: Starting in 2008, Vietnam’s national MMT program expanded quickly, but it is struggling with increasing attrition rates and poor adherence among patients. Several studies have reported on MMT retention...
Associations between the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B among people who inject drugs and country-level characteristics: An ecological analysis
Introduction: Globally, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a leading cause of liver disease. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at greater risk than the general population of contracting HBV. This risk...
A scoping review on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community and factors fostering its refusal
BACKGROUND: The ramifications of the existing crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic are sensed in all walks of life. Among the various efforts made to curb the spread of this...
Ageing with HIV: Medicine optimisation challenges and support needs for older people living with HIV: A systematic review
Background: Older people living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risks of co-morbidities and polypharmacy. However, little is known about factors affecting their needs and concerns about medicines. This systematic review...
The mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 and profile of viral reservoirs in pediatric population: A systematic review with meta-analysis of the Cameroonian studies
Background: The mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 (MTCT) remains on the major route of HIV-transmission among pediatric populations in Africa. Though a prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) high-priority country, data on the MTCT...
