Category Archives: Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
Multimorbidity of communicable and non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review is to analyse existing evidence on prevalence, patterns, determinants, and healthcare challenges of communicable and non-communicable disease multimorbidity in low- and middle-income countries...
Safety and efficacy of abacavir for treating infants, children, and adolescents living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Abacavir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor recommended in paediatric HIV care. We assessed the safety and efficacy profile of abacavir used in first, second, or subsequent lines of treatment...
Adherence to option B+ and its association with disclosure status and counseling among HIV-positive pregnant and lactating women in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the pooled estimate of option B+ level of adherence and its association with disclosure status and counseling among pregnant and lactation women...
Increased risk of sexually transmitted infections in men who have sex with men taking preexposure prophylaxis: A meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are a priority population for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. We summarized the surveillance data from the studies of MSM taking...
Prevalence and global trends of polypharmacy among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: There has been a rising prevalence of polypharmacy among people living with HIV (PLWH). Uncertainty however remains regarding the exact estimates of polypharmacy among these cohorts of patients. Methods: We conducted...
Measuring and addressing stigma within HIV interventions for people who use drugs: A scoping review of recent research
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Persistent stigma remains a crucial barrier to HIV prevention and treatment services among people who use drugs (PWUD), particularly for those living with or at-risk for HIV....
Pediatrics HIV-positive status disclosure and its predictors in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: HIV-positive status disclosure for children is challenging for family members, guardians, and healthcare professionals. Disclosure is very challenging, particularly for children, yet no systematic synthesis of evidence accurately measures...
Condom use and risk factors of inconsistent or low use of the condoms during heterosexual anal intercourse in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Anal intercourse (AI) has been reported to be the riskiest among other sexual intercourses in spreading human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the risk could be minimized by the use...
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...
Incidence and mortality of non-AIDS-defining cancers among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) are now becoming a rising cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. We conducted a systematic review...
Prevalence of cryptococcal meningitis among people living with human immuno-deficiency virus and predictors of mortality in adults on induction therapy in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a leading cause of adult meningitis in countries with a high burden of HIV. It has remained a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in...
