Category Archives: Prevention, Engagement and Care Cascade
Pre-exposure prophylaxis access, uptake and usage by young people: A systematic review of barriers and facilitators
BACKGROUND: Young people’s sexual health decision-making, including decisions to access and adhere to HIV prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), are influenced by a range of internal and external...
Opportunistic infections among schoolchildren who were on antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: The most common and severe cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV- positive children is opportunistic infections (OIs). All HIV-infected children are at risk of developing a variety of...
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV healthcare delivery for females in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), females are disproportionately impacted by HIV and face generalized but also gendered social and economic barriers to accessing HIV healthcare and services. At the outset of...
Predictors of maternal HIV acquisition during pregnancy and lactation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
OBJECTIVES: To eliminate vertical transmission of HIV, global institutions recommend using a risk-guided approach for HIV prevention services in antenatal and postnatal settings. Identifying predictors of maternal HIV acquisition can...
Barriers and facilitators of HIV partner status notification in low- and lower-middle-income countries: A mixed-methods systematic review
BACKGROUND: The uptake of HIV partner status notification remains limited in low- and lower-middle-income countries. This mixed-methods systematic reviewAÿaims to summarize the barriers and facilitators of HIV partner status notification...
Depressive symptoms and HIV viral suppression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Previous research suggests that depression impacts HIV outcomes, including viral suppression. This meta-analysis quantifies the association between depression and HIV viral suppression. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed,...
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy and its associated factors among children living with HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Children living with HIV in low-income settings, such as in Eastern and Southern Africa, are at a high risk for poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy. However, various primary studies presented...
Perinatal outcomes among pregnant women living with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy preconception and antenatally: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: Increasingly, pregnant women with HIV (WHIV) initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) before conception. We assessed the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes among pregnant WHIV initiating ART preconception or antenatally, compared with...
Transitions in treatment: A systematic review and meta-aggregation of preferences and barriers in switching from oral to long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV and stakeholders
INTRODUCTION: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has significantly enhanced health outcomes for people living with HIV (PLWH). With the evolution of treatment options, there is an increasing interest in the development of...
Neuropsychiatric outcomes in children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV: A systematic review and meta analysis
Objective: The objective of this study is to define the neuropsychiatric challenges including developmental delay, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric illness faced by children with perinatally acquired HIV. Data sources: Nine databases were...
Application of the COM-B model to facilitators and barriers to HIV and STI testing among people from Black African and Black Caribbean communities in the UK: A scoping review
OBJECTIVE: Individuals from Black African and Black Caribbean communities (black communities) in the UK bear a disproportionate burden of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while exhibiting lower testing rates....
