Category Archives: Other
Reviews that are lab-based (e.g. genes, pharmaceuticals) or on unique groups of people (e.g. fishermen, nurses)
Permanent supportive housing with housing first to reduce homelessness and promote health among homeless populations with disability: A community guide systematic review
CONTEXT: Poor physical and mental health and substance use disorder can be causes and consequences of homelessness. Approximately 2.1 million persons per year in the United States experience homelessness. People...
Tools to measure HIV knowledge, attitudes & practices (KAPs) in healthcare providers: A systematic review
Healthcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) related to HIV are important determinants of quality of care provided to HIV/AIDS patients. Most studies have focussed on low- and middle-income countries...
Effects of the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) polymorphisms on HIV acquisition: A meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Genetic involvement of Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) polymorphisms and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-exposed seronegative (HESN) compared to HIV-infected (HIVI) individuals has been reported. However, inconsistency of the outcomes reduces...
Burnout among service providers addressing substance use disorders
Key take-home messages Main burnout components experienced among service providers addressing substance use disorders include emotional exhaustion (feeling drained of all available emotional capacity), depersonalization (experiencing cynicism, helplessness and detachment),...
Pharmacy-based sexual health services: A systematic review of experiences and attitudes of pharmacy users and pharmacy staff
BACKGROUND: Pharmacies are increasingly providing services related to contraception and STIs. Identifying pharmacy staff’ and users’ experiences and attitudes relating to sexual health services is critical to understand users’ needs...
Systematic review of the performance and clinical utility of point of care HIV-1 RNA testing for diagnosis and care
BACKGROUND: Point of-care (POC) HIV-1 RNA tests which are accurate and easy to use with limited infrastructure are needed in resource-limited settings (RLS). We systematically reviewed evidence of POC test...
How does hard-to-reach status affect antiretroviral therapy adherence in the HIV-infected population? Results from a meta-analysis of observational studies
BACKGROUND: Socially disadvantaged groups, such as drug users, sex workers and homeless individuals, are labelled as “hard-to-reach” (HTR) in public health and medical research. HIV disproportionately impacts these populations, but...
Effect of organizational models of provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) in health facilities on adult HIV testing coverage in sub-Saharan Africa
The purpose of this paper is to identify which Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling (PITC) organizational models are the most efficient to maximize testing coverage. We conducted a systematic literature...
Do quality improvement initiatives improve outcomes for patients in antiretroviral programs in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review
Background: There have been a range of quality improvement (QI) and quality assurance initiatives in low- and middle-income countries to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment outcomes for people living with HIV....
Performance of non-laboratory staff for diagnostic testing and specimen collection in HIV programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: In most high HIV burden countries, many HIV patients do not have reliable access to required diagnostic laboratory tests. Task shifting of clinical tasks to lower cadres of health...
