Category Archives: Biomedical interventions
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pre- & post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV
Key take-home messages There is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about the clinical effectiveness of non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP); however, non-occupational PEP is possibly a cost-effective intervention. PEP has...
Gay men’s attitudes towards and perceptions of viral load and treatment as prevention
Key take-home messages Findings from recent studies have highlighted the potential for antiretroviral therapy to prevent HIV by reducing an HIV-positive person’s viral load. Prevention experts are concerned that active...
Effectiveness of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV
Key take-home messages Oral PrEP (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with emtricitabine) is highly protective against HIV acquisition across various populations and across different dosing schedules. Open label and demonstration projects in...
A systematic review of the current status of safer conception strategies for HIV affected heterosexual couples in Sub-Saharan Africa
We conducted a systematic review of safer conception strategies (SCS) for HIV-affected couples in sub-Saharan Africa to inform evidence-based safer conception interventions. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched fifteen electronic databases...
Use of antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes among women living with HIV-1 in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Worldwide, nearly 18 million women of reproductive age are living with HIV-1. Although increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy has significantly reduced HIV-1 mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), a...
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Australia and other high-income countries: Trends in perinatal exposure, demography and uptake of prevention strategies
Virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a global target. A review of the literature was conducted using medical databases and health department websites to...
Sociocultural factors influencing infant-feeding choices among African immigrant women living with HIV: A synthesis of the literature
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The World Health Organizations (WHO) strategy is to eliminate pediatric HIV. HIV prevention guidelines in high-income countries recommend mothers living with HIV avoid breastfeeding. Yet, breastfeeding is...
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection and its associated factors in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is the main mode of HIV transmission in children under 15 years old. This problem is significant in the Sub-Saharan African countries, where more than 80%...
Influence of faith-based organisations on HIV prevention strategies in Africa: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains of global significance and there is a need to target sub-Saharan Africa since it is the hardest hit region worldwide. Religion and more specifically faith-based...
