Category Archives: Prevention
A narrative review of continuing professional development needs for pharmacists with respect to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is rapidly increasing in use worldwide, with many countries now publicly funding use for high risk populations. Pharmacists, as front-line care...
Systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on global condom promotion programs
Background: Globally, 1.7 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2018. Condoms are inexpensive, cost-effective, reduce HIV/STI incidence, morbidity, mortality, and unintended pregnancies, and result in health care cost...
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion in human immunodeficiency virus infected adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus is a common, life threatening complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related central nervous system opportunistic infection which can be treated by insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). In...
Evidence on factors influencing contraceptive use and sexual behavior among women in South Africa: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Contraceptive use and sexual health behavior remain a prominent public health concern in South Africa (SA). Despite many government interventions, unintended pregnancies and termination of pregnancies remain relatively high....
Community engagement interventions for communicable disease control in low- and lower- middle-income countries: Evidence from a review of systematic reviews
BACKGROUND: Community engagement (CE) interventions include a range of approaches to involve communities in the improvement of their health and wellbeing. Working with communities defined by location or some other...
Efficacy and safety of direct acting antiviral regimens for hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection: Systematic review and network meta-analysis
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Various all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens are being widely used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients; however, the comparative efficacy...
HIV and drug related stigma and risk-taking behaviors among people who inject drugs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The impact of HIV-related stigma on people living with HIV has been well documented, but there have been few studies examining how drug-related stigma impacts risk-taking in the lives of...
Mobile health promotion of human immunodeficiency virus self-testing in the United States
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) self-testing could overcome barriers associated with traditional HIV testing and increase people’s awareness of their serostatus. Mobile health, which utilizes mobile wireless technology, could alleviate...
Barriers to the wider use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in the United States: A narrative review
Antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV transmission was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2012. Despite correlations of decreases in new HIV infections being greatest...
Effectiveness of the female condom in preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of female condoms for preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remains inconclusive. We examined the effects of female condoms on the acquisition of HIV and STIs....
Prevalence of sexually transmissible infections and HIV in men attending sex-on-premises venues in Australia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Background In Australia, men who have sex with men (MSM) have high rates sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and sex-on-premises venue (SOPV) patrons are at risk. This paper assesses Neisseria gonorrhoeae...
Sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV in Muslim-majority countries: A systematic mixed studies review
BACKGROUND: The number of women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (WLHIV) in Muslim-majority countries has increased significantly in the last decade. These women are often marginalized and face insecure...
