Category Archives: Biomedical interventions
Better together?: A systematic review of he effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions that build or strengthen social ties
Although social relationships impact health and social dynamics play a key role in shaping HIV vulnerability, results from intentional efforts to build or strengthen social relationships have not been synthesized...
Assessing the impact of digital communication tools on oral PrEP adherence: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effect of digital communication tools (e.g., text message reminders) on improving daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence. Searching PubMed, Embase, Web of...
Sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in transgender and non-binary people in Canada: A scoping review
In the 2021 census, 100,815 people in Canada aged 15 and older identified as transgender or non-binary. Globally, transgender people are disproportionately burdened by several Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections...
Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of healthcare workers to offer pre-exposure prophylaxis in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Despite advancements in HIV prevention strategies, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), uptake remains suboptimal in high-burden regions like Africa. Healthcare workers (HCWs) play a pivotal role in PrEP implementation. This...
Effects of test-and-treat versus preexposure prophylaxis on elimination of HIV transmission: Analysis of 24 HIV prevention trials
INTRODUCTION: In 2023, 28.8 million (72%) of 39.9 million people with HIV (PWH) worldwide were on treatment with viral suppression, while 11.1 million (28%) people had viraemia with the risk...
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...
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...
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...
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:...
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...
Estimating the effect of maternal viral load on perinatal and postnatal HIV transmission: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Although a growing body of evidence supports zero risk of sexual HIV transmission from a person with sustained virological suppression, known as U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable), data have been...
