Category Archives: Health Systems
A review of research on residential programs for people with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders
Substance use disorder is the most common and clinically significant co-morbidity among clients with severe mental illnesses, associated with poor treatment response, homelessness and other adverse outcomes. Residential programs for...
Setting and organization of care for persons living with HIV/AIDS
BACKGROUND: Treating the world’s 40.3 million persons currently infected with HIV/AIDS is an international responsibility that involves unprecedented organizational challenges. Key issues include whether care should be concentrated or decentralized,...
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home palliative care services for adults with advanced illness and their caregivers
Background: Extensive evidence shows that well over 50% of people prefer to be cared for and to die at home provided circumstances allow choice. Despite best efforts and policies, one-third...
Costs and cost-effectiveness of HIV community services: Quantity and quality of studies published 1986–2011
Community services comprise an important part of a country’s HIV response. English language cost and cost-effectiveness studies of HIV community services published between 1986 and 2011 were reviewed but only...
Social marketing interventions to increase HIV/STI testing uptake among men who have sex with men and male-to-female transgender women
BACKGROUND: Social marketing interventions have been shown to both promote and change many health-related behaviours and issues. As the HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately affect MSM and transgender women around...
A systematic review to identify challenges of demonstrating efficacy of HIV behavioral interventions for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM)
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV but few MSM-specific evidence-based interventions (EBIs) have been identified for this vulnerable group. We...
Influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis from a public health policy perspective
BACKGROUND: Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to severe or complicated influenza infection. Vaccination is widely recommended for this group. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses influenza vaccination for immunocompromised patients in...
Linking sexual and reproductive health and HIV interventions: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: The international community agrees that the Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved without ensuring universal access to both sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment,...
The nursing implications of routine provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling in sub-Saharan Africa: A critical review of new policy guidance from WHO/UNAIDS
BACKGROUND: In 2007 WHO/UNAIDS issued new HIV testing guidelines recommending ‘provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling’ (PITC). In contrast to existing ‘voluntary counselling and testing’ guidelines (whereby individuals self refer for...
