Category Archives: Prevention
Impact of mHealth on enhancing pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence and strengthening the HIV prevention cascade among key populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Good adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critical for effective HIV prevention. Despite the growing awareness of PrEP, many individuals remain at a preliminary understanding stage and struggle to...
Free antiretrovirals as a key tool against the HIV pandemic: A systematic review
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Access to antiretroviral (ARV) drugs remains a critical challenge in achieving the WHO/UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, with medication costs representing a substantial barrier. This systematic review evaluates the effect of...
Pharmacokinetic adaptations in pregnancy: Implications for optimizing antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive women
Pregnancy introduces significant physiological changes that alter the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antiretroviral therapy (ART), impacting its safety and efficacy in HIV-positive women. Optimizing ART during pregnancy is critical to maintaining...
The key design features and effectiveness of social network interventions for HIV testing and linkage services in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: HIV remains a global health challenge with a reported 39 million people living with HIV (PLHIV) in 2022. Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific are home to 82% of...
Harms associated with injecting in public spaces: A global systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Despite increasing backlash against harm reduction efforts and the need to understand the risk environments encountered by people who inject drugs (PWID), a quantitative systematic review on public injecting...
Health educational interventions for adolescents living with HIV: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Adolescents living with HIV face unique challenges as they gain greater independence while transitioning into adulthood. They must adjust their self-management activities and take primary responsibility for their health,...
Measuring mobility in HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Mobility-from overnight travel to permanent migration-can reduce service access and increase HIV risk, driving the epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This scoping review described mobility measures used in HIV...
Systematic review of infodemiology studies using artificial intelligence: Social media posts on HIV preexposure prophylaxis
OBJECTIVES: To explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance infodemiology, which distributes and scans information in the electronic medium, to process social media posts for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). DESIGN:...
Machine learning for personalized risk assessment of HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Machine learning (ML) shows promise for sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk prediction, but systematic evidence of its effectiveness remains fragmented. Methods We systematically searched six electronic databases, three preprint...
Undetectable = Untransmittable: A cross-population systematic review and meta-analysis on awareness and acceptance
The Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) message is a cornerstone of HIV-related public health communication, yet global levels of awareness and acceptance remain unclear across key populations. This study aimed to...
