Category Archives: Retention in care
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....
Strategies to link people with undiagnosed HIV infection to HIV testing, care, and prevention services
Key take-home messages A variety of strategies have shown promise for identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV and engaging them with HIV testing using clinical, community-based, network-based, and self-directed approaches. Various...
Which community-based HIV initiatives are effective in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets? A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence (2007-2018)
BACKGROUND: Reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets to end the HIV epidemic relies on effective interventions that engage untested HIV+ individuals and retain them in...
Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV
BACKGROUND: Despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) being widely available, HIV continues to cause substantial illness and premature death in low-and-middle-income countries. High rates of loss to follow-up after HIV diagnosis can...
Microfinance interventions and HIV treatment outcomes: A synthesizing conceptual framework and systematic review
BACKGROUND: Microfinance interventions have the potential to improve HIV treatment outcomes, but the mechanisms through which they operate are not entirely clear. OBJECTIVES: To construct a synthesizing conceptual framework for...
Feasibility of integrated, multilevel care for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and HIV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Integrated cardiovascular disease (CVD) and HIV (CVD-HIV) care interventions are being adopted to tackle the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) but there is...
Is co-location of services with HIV care associated with improved HIV care outcomes? A systematic review
This systematic review identifies models of service co-location, a structural intervention strategy to remove barriers to HIV care and services, and examines their associations with HIV care outcomes. A cumulative...
The association between marijuana use and HIV continuum of care outcomes: A systematic review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Approximately 77% of HIV-infected adults report lifetime marijuana use. Given the high rates and social acceptability of marijuana use among HIV-infected individuals, it is important to gain...
Attrition of HIV-exposed infants from early infant diagnosis services in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: Identification and retention of HIV-exposed infants in early infant diagnosis (EID) services helps to ensure optimal health outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the magnitude of attrition from...
Being HIV positive and staying on antiretroviral therapy in Africa: A qualitative systematic review and theoretical model
BACKGROUND: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and long-term uninterrupted engagement in HIV care is difficult for HIV-positive people, and randomized trials of specific techniques to promote adherence often show small...
Supportive interventions to improve retention on ART in people with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether supportive interventions can increase retention in care for patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We...
