Category Archives: Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
Psychosocial interventions for depression delivered by non-mental health specialists to people living with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Background: Depression commonly co-exists with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the HIV burden is greatest, mental health resources are limited. These settings may benefit...
HIV infection does not affect the risk of death of COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies
Background: Even during the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to pose a major threat, worldwide. In fact, the World Health Organization...
Priorities in the implementation of partner services for HIV/STIs in high-income nations: A narrative review of evidence and recommendations
Partner notification (PN) remains a crucial prevention tool to reduce sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission and prevent STI-related morbidity. Although there have been a variety of different approaches taken to...
Reinfection rate of hepatitis C in HIV-1 positive men who have sex with men: A systematic review and meta-analysis
PURPOSE: A reduction of 80% in new Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is expected by 2030. However, high HCV reinfection rates have been reported among the high-risk population. This meta-analysis...
Interventions for integrating behavioral health services into HIV clinical care: A narrative review
The integration of behavioral health services within human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care settings holds promise for improving substance use, mental health, and HIV-related health outcomes for people with HIV. As...
The proportion of loss to follow-up from antiretroviral therapy (ART) and its association with age among adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a global health threat, especially in developing countries. The successful scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs to address this threat is hindered by a...
Yellow fever vaccine safety in immunocompromised individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Yellow fever is an arbovirus with variable severity, including severe forms with high mortality. The vaccination is the most effective measure to protect against the disease. Nonserious and serious...
Sexual and reproductive health services during outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics in sub-Saharan Africa: A literature scoping review
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic could worsen adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). We sought evidence on the indirect impacts of previous infectious disease epidemics and the current COVID-19 pandemic on...
The demographic and socioeconomic correlates of behavior and HIV infection status across sub-Saharan Africa
Background: Predisposition to become HIV positive (HIV + ) is influenced by a wide range of correlated economic, environmental, demographic, social, and behavioral factors. While evidence among a candidate handful have...
Determinants of voluntary counseling and testing service uptake among adult sub-Saharan Africans: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: To examine the major determinants of VCT service uptake among adults in SSA. Methods: Electronic databases were searched to identify eligible English language publications. Reporting of the study selection...
