Category Archives: Women
Preventing sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) among sex workers: A critical review of the evidence on determinants and interventions in high-income countries
BACKGROUND: Across diverse regions globally, sex workers continue to face a disproportionate burden of HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs). Evidence suggests that behavioural and biomedical...
A systematic review on the influence of HLA-B polymorphisms on HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission
BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) is the main route of HIV-1 infection in children. Genetic studies suggest HLA-B alleles play an important role on HIV-1 transmission, progression, and control of HIV-1 infection....
Does male circumcision reduce women’s risk of sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer, and associated conditions?
Background: Male circumcision (MC) is proven to substantially reduce men’s risk of a number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We conducted a detailed systematic review of the scientific literature to...
Pharmacokinetics and safety of the integrase inhibitors elvitegravir and dolutegravir in pregnant women with HIV
OBJECTIVE: To synthesize data on the pharmacokinetics and safety of dolutegravir and elvitegravir in pregnant women living with HIV. DATA SOURCES: A PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar...
The impact of location on implementation of HIV/STI prevention interventions among LGBTQ communities
Key take-home messages The characteristics of a location, including segregation, community-level stigma, and infrastructural resources, may influence HIV service utilization and the HIV continuum of care among men who have...
A cross-jurisdictional review of HIV testing intervals for population groups at high risk of HIV infection
Key take-home messages Most guidelines recommend at least annual HIV testing of population groups at high risk of HIV infection. These include: men who have sex with men, transgender women...
The effect of gender on food insecurity among HIV-infected people receiving anti-retroviral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: HIV-infected adults receiving anti-retroviral therapy have a high prevalence of food insecurity in both high- and low-income settings., Women bear an inequitable burden of food insecurity due to lack...
Evolving models and ongoing challenges for HIV preexposure prophylaxis implementation in the United States
BACKGROUND: The use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2012, but delivery to at-risk persons has lagged. This critical review...
Residual or recurrent precancerous lesions after treatment of cervical lesions in HIV-infected women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment failure
Background: Screening and treating premalignant cervical lesions (CIN2+) is an effective way to prevent cervical cancer, and recommendations exist for monitoring of treatment success. Yet, there is no specific recommendation...
Postpartum women living with HIV: Challenges related to retention in care, treatment adherence, and mental health
Key take-home messages Postpartum women living with HIV may find it challenging to remain engaged in HIV care and achieve optimal adherence to antiretroviral medications. Late entry or suboptimal engagement...
Socio-structural factors influencing the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the democratic republic of the Congo: A systematic review
Introduction The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had the second-highest mother-to-child HIV transmission rate in Sub-Saharan Africa at 29% in 2013, however the uptake of preventive services for mother-to-child...
