Category Archives: Substance Use
Does the association between stimulant use and high risk sexual behavior vary by injection drug use, sexual minority status, or HIV infection status? A meta-analysis
There is strong evidence linking stimulant use, namely methamphetamine use, to sexual risk behavior among sexual minority men (SMM); we do not, however, have a good understanding of this relationship...
The epidemic of HIV and syphilis and the correlation with substance abuse among men who have sex with men in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: In China, the HIV/AIDS epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been expanding in recent years. Substance abuse in MSM was not well studied as the...
Methodologies used in studies examining substance abuse, violence and HIV/AIDS (SAVA) constructs using a syndemic framework: A scoping review
The syndemic theoretical framework has been used in health disparities research to explain several co-occurring epidemics, particularly in populations facing disparate health conditions. A prominent example of this is seen...
A systematic review of the association between smoking exposure and HPV-related cervical cell abnormality among women living with HIV: Implications for prevention strategies
This study aims to evaluate the association between smoking exposure and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cervical abnormalities among women living with HIV (WLWH). By conducting a systematic review of the current...
Neurocognitive impairment and associated factors among people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis of African studies
BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive impairment (NCI) is one of the most common neurological complications in HIV-positive individuals, particularly in resource-limited countries. Neurocognitive impairments can occur at any stage of HIV infection, although...
Epidemiology of injecting drug use, prevalence of injecting-related harm, and exposure to behavioural and environmental risks among people who inject drugs: A systematic review
Background People who inject drugs are exposed to various and changing risk environments and are at risk of multiple harms related to injecting drug use (IDU). We aimed to undertake...
The impact of needle and syringe exchange programs on HIV-related risk behaviors in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis examining individual- versus community-level effects
We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of needle and syringe exchange programs (NSP) on both individual- and community-level needle-sharing behaviors and other HIV-related outcomes in low-...
Mapping the effectiveness of integrating mental health in HIV programs: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Mental health and substance abuse issues are increasing among HIV-positive people, and it negatively impacts health outcomes like engagement, retention in HIV care, and adherence to ART. Thus, national...
The state of the research on opioid outcomes among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexuality- and gender-diverse populations: A scoping review
Purpose: Research on opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and overdose (i.e., opioid outcomes) among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other populations within the LGBTQ umbrella (LGBTQ+) remains sparse. The...
Substance use and adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in studies enrolling men who have sex with men and transgender women: A systematic review
Optimal adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critical, but challenging. Men who have sex with men and transgender women have high rates of HIV incidence and substance use. Substance use...
The impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery and treatment outcomes in people living with HIV: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 epidemic and various control and mitigation measures to combat the widespread outbreak of the disease may affect other parts of health care systems. There is a concern...
