Category Archives: Engagement and Care Cascade
AIDS-affected orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review on outcome differences in rural and urban environments
Currently, there are more than 11 million AIDS-affected orphans that suffer from various adverse effects, most of whom reside in sub-Saharan Africa. The difference between whether a child resides in...
The association between antiretroviral therapy and selected cardiovascular disease risk factors in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: With increasing adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes in HIV/AIDS patients, the possible contribution of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the prevailing CVD epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through its effect...
The effect of bariatric surgery on patients with HIV infection: A literature review
Obesity among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals is on the rise. Bariatric procedures such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) alter the GI tract. Whether this alteration...
Barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence in developed countries: A qualitative synthesis to develop a conceptual framework for a new patient-reported outcome measure
Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains common. Patient-centered tools are needed to comprehensively assess adherence barriers in HIV clinical practice. Thus, we conducted a research synthesis to produce a...
Economic strengthening for HIV testing and linkage to care: A review of the evidence
Delayed HIV diagnosis and enrollment in HIV care can lead to negative health outcomes for individuals and pose major barriers to achieving the UNAIDS 90-90-90 treatment targets. Household economic strengthening...
Mindfulness-based interventions for adults living with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This meta-analysis examined the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on stress, psychological symptoms, and biomarkers of disease among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Comprehensive searches identified 16 studies that met...
Medication adherence in pregnant women with human immunodeficiency virus receiving antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: The use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a core strategy proposed by the World Health Organization in preventing mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. This systematic review aimed...
Associations between highly active antiretroviral therapy and the presence of HPV, premalignant and malignant cervical lesions in sub-Saharan Africa, a systematic review: Current evidence and directions for future research
OBJECTIVES: In sub-Saharan Africa, substantial international funding along with evidence-based clinical practice have resulted in an unparalleled scale-up of access to antiretroviral treatment at a higher CD4 count. The role...
Interventions to increase testing, linkage to care and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people in prisons: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: While the burden of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is significantly higher among people in prisons compared to the general population, testing and treatment uptake remain suboptimal. The...
The cascade of care following community-based detection of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa – A systematic review with 90-90-90 targets in sight
INTRODUCTION: We aimed to establish how effective community-based HIV testing services (HTS), including home and community location based (non-health facility) HIV testing services (HB-/CLB-HTS), are in improving care in sub-Saharan...
Antiretroviral therapy interruptions: Impact on HIV treatment and transmission
Introduction: Successful management of pediatric and adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease includes lifelong administration of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The need for the continuous use of antiretroviral drugs throughout the...
