Category Archives: Linkage/engagement in care
Understanding the implementation of patient navigation for adults living with HIV: A scoping review of components, equity considerations and lessons learned
BACKGROUND: People living with HIV navigate complex medical and social challenges that impact engagement in care, including stigma, poverty and systemic inequities. Patient navigation has emerged as a promising approach...
Effects of transition from paediatric to adult HIV care on virological outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: HIV remains a major global burden, with 2.4 million children and adolescents affected, 84% living in sub-Saharan Africa. As adolescents age, transitioning from paediatric to adult HIV care represents...
Incidence and predictors of loss to follow-up among adults on antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
BACKGROUND: Loss to follow-up (LTFU) from antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a major public health concern worldwide, including in Ethiopia. However, nationally representative pooled cohort data on LTFU among adults receiving...
Commonality and co-occurrence of discrete strategies within implementation strategy bundles: findings from the Living Database of HIV Implementation Science systematic review, 2014-2021
BACKGROUND: HIV services and innovations are delivered through implementation strategy bundles that are often complex, comprising numerous discrete strategies. Systematically characterizing the use patterns of discrete strategies may inform strategy...
Interventions to Improve HIV Care and Treatment Outcomes Among People with HIV Who Have Substance Use Disorder or At-Risk Substance Use: A Narrative Review
Substance use adversely affects engagement in HIV care, adherence to medication, and HIV viral suppression. This review assessed the scope of US interventions designed to promote positive outcomes along the...
Vulnerability and non-adherence to treatment in cisgender women living with HIV/AIDS: A scoping review (2000-2024)
BACKGROUND: Cisgender women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS due to structural gender inequalities and intersecting social determinants, which generate vulnerability contexts that act as barriers to treatment adherence. METHODS: A...
Peer network approaches for improving HIV testing, prevention and care utilisation among men in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Limited male engagement in HIV prevention and care is a global challenge more pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) contributing to ongoing transmission. However, peer network interventions show promise in...
Barriers and facilitators to the diagnosis of HIV and other STIs in primary care within publicly funded healthcare systems: A systematic review of qualitative studies
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a major public health concern. Primary care (PC) is the ideal setting for their diagnosis. Designing effective strategies...
Evaluating the effectiveness of digital health interventions for HIV prevention and treatment adherence among transgender populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Transgender individuals face a disproportionate burden of HIV due to systemic barriers including stigma, discrimination, and limited access to gender-affirming healthcare. Digital health interventions (DHIs), such as mobile applications,...
Closing Diagnostic Gaps in Pediatric HIV: Innovations in Point-of-Care and Digital Monitoring with an Asia-Pacific Implementation Lens-A Systematic Review
Background/Objectives: Pediatric HIV case-finding and monitoring remain constrained by delayed early infant diagnosis (EID), loss to follow-up, and limited viral load (VL) testing-challenges particularly consequential in the operationally diverse Asia-Pacific...
HIV self-testing and clinician-administered testing in Southern Africa: A systematic review of programmatic outcomes
OBJECTIVE: In 2024, an estimated 5.3 million of 40.8 million people with HIV (PWH) globally were unaware of their status, with Southern Africa bearing the highest regional burden. This review...
Person-centred HIV prevention services in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: In spite of numerous advancements in HIV prevention, there are still gaps that impede reaching key populations throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Traditional approaches usually overlook personal preferences, social context and...
