Category Archives: Women
Mobile health intervention tools promoting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping review
BACKGROUND: In 2022, 3100 adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa experienced new HIV infections each week. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective at preventing HIV but has limited...
Preferences for long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
HIV remains a major public health problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is documented as safe and effective for HIV prevention, adherence remains a...
Assessing the impact of digital communication tools on oral PrEP adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effect of digital communication tools (e.g., text message reminders) on improving daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence. Searching PubMed, Embase, Web of...
Analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on syphilis in susceptible populations: Me who have sex with men, people living with HIV, and patients with gestational and congenital syphilis—A narrative review
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a public health crisis that significantly impacted sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly syphilis. However, data on syphilis incidence during the pandemic remains inconsistent globally. Key groups...
Evaluating the safety and efficacy of malaria preventive measures in pregnant women with a focus on HIV status: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Background and Objectives: Malaria poses significant threats to pregnant women, particularly in endemic regions. Preventive measures against it include insecticide-treated bed nets, intermittent preventive treatment, and various supplements. We aimed...
Utilization of cervical cancer screening and its associated factors among women living with HIV in East Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Women living with HIV (WLHIV), mostly in East Africa, are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer and are a priority population for secondary prevention. Numerous primary studies...
Pharmacokinetic adaptations in pregnancy: Implications for optimizing antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive women
Pregnancy introduces significant physiological changes that alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antiretroviral therapy (ART), impacting its safety and efficacy in HIV-positive women. Optimizing ART during pregnancy is critical to maintaining...
Intimate partner violence among women living with HIV in East Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a widespread yet often unrecognized problem that affects millions of women worldwide. It is prevalent among marginalized individuals, such as women living with HIV....
Prevalence of and risk factors for suicidal ideation among perinatal women with HIV infection: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression
Background The prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) among HIV-positive pregnant women is a complex issue influenced by multiple risk factors. By addressing these risk factors and focusing on vulnerable regions,...
Estimating the effect of maternal viral load on perinatal and postnatal HIV transmission: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Although a growing body of evidence supports zero risk of sexual HIV transmission from a person with sustained virological suppression, known as U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable), data have been...
Immune responses to vaginal candidiasis in African women: A scoping review of cytokine profiles, T-cell activation, and gene expression
Background Recent immunological studies of vaginal candidiasis in African populations have revealed complex host‒pathogen interactions with implications for therapeutic development and HIV acquisition risk. Objective This scoping review synthesized evidence...
Health service utilization of Black immigrant women residing in the United States: A systematic review
Black immigrants constitute a rapidly growing population group in the U.S. A comprehensive understanding of health services used by Black immigrant women is necessary to support the complex needs of...
