Category Archives: Substance Use
Late presentation of HIV positive adults and its predictors to HIV/AIDS care in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: Late presentation to HIV/AIDS care which is attended by problems like, poor treatment outcomes, early development of opportunistic infections, increased healthcare costs, and mortality is a major problem in...
Prescription drug diversion among people living with HIV: A systematic scoping review
OBJECTIVES: Globally, people living with HIV (PLWH) are at greater risk for various infections and chronic pain, therefore, vulnerable to prescription drug diversion which might negatively impact HIV care. The...
The opioid and related drug epidemics in rural Appalachia: A systematic review of populations affected, risk factors, and infectious diseases
Background/aims: To examine trends in rural Appalachian opioid and related drug epidemics during the past 10 years, including at-risk populations, substance use shifts and correlates, and associated infections. Methods: We...
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness and acceptability among trans women: a review
Transgender (trans) women are disproportionally burdened by the HIV epidemic due to complex structural, psychosocial and biological factors. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a biomedical prevention approach for people at...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis use and medication adherence among men who have sex with men: A systematic review of the literature
The appropriate use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by men who have sex with men (MSM) can be highly effective at reducing HIV transmission. Our review examined prevalence estimates, sexual behaviors,...
How does hard-to-reach status affect antiretroviral therapy adherence in the HIV-infected population? Results from a meta-analysis of observational studies
BACKGROUND: Socially disadvantaged groups, such as drug users, sex workers and homeless individuals, are labelled as “hard-to-reach” (HTR) in public health and medical research. HIV disproportionately impacts these populations, but...
Risk factors for prescription drug diversion among people living with HIV: A systematic scoping review
BACKGROUND: In addition to numerous infections and frequent pain constantly affecting people living with HIV (PLWH), various risk factors might contribute to prescription drug diversion. The purpose of the study...
Integrated care of severe infectious diseases to people with substance use disorders; a systematic review
BACKGROUND: Various integrated care models have been used to improve treatment completion of medications for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB), and Human...
A systematic mixed studies review of the intersections of social-ecological factors and HIV stigma in people living with HIV in the U.S. south
The role of stigma on psychological wellness and treatment outcomes in people living with HIV (PLWH) has been well documented. However, within the context of the southern United States, the...
Alcohol misuse and illicit drug use among occupational groups at high risk of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Key occupational groups in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are at increased risk of HIV, and may be at increased risk of substance use. In January 2018, we systematically searched for studies...
