Category Archives: Health Systems
Body image and its associated factors among people living with HIV: A scoping review and implications for integrated care
People living with HIV (PLWH) face unique biopsychosocial challenges due to both infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART), one of which is body image disruption. This study comprehensively reviewed relevant studies...
A scoping review of mobile health for ART adherence in pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: Preferences, acceptability, and privacy concerns
Background Interventions involving Mobile Health (mHealth) have shown promise to improve retention in care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among pregnant or breastfeeding women living with HIV (PBWLH). However,...
Attrition rate of antiretroviral therapy and its influencing factors among Chinese people living with HIV/AIDS: A meta-analysis and system review
Objective To systematically evaluate the attrition rate of PWH undergoing ART and its influencing factors. Methods We systematically searched Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, VIP, WanFang, CNKI,...
Incidence of loss to follow-up among East African adults on antiretroviral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus receive antiretroviral treatment regardless of their clinical stage or CD4 count. While the “Universal Test and Treat” approach offers benefits, loss to follow-up remains...
Barriers to and enablers of adherence to the treatment of active drug-sensitive tuberculosis in people living with HIV: A mixed method systematic review
BACKGROUND: Adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment is essential in improving treatment outcomes and reducing TB-related mortality. People living with HIV (PLWH) are at a higher risk of developing and dying...
The reasons of late diagnosis in patients with HIV/AIDS: A meta-synthesis
PURPOSE: To comprehensively integrate qualitative findings on the reasons of late diagnosis in HIV/AIDS patients and to encourage timely clinic consultations for advisory purposes. METHODS: A qualitative systematic review utilizing...
An integrative review of PrEP promotion strategies at historically Black colleges and universities to reduce HIV disparities
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We searched PubMed, CINAHL Plus, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 that discussed PrEP at HBCUs. We...
Human milk oligosaccharides, microbiome, antiretroviral therapy and HIV infected mothers: Reasons to still promote breastfeeding in HIV context of lactating countries, a mini-narrative review
Breastfeeding is the preferred feeding for newborns during the first 6 months of life and until the age of 2 years or beyond. The benefits of breastfeeding remain significant, even in cases...
Unveiling the underestimated prevalence of HIV, HBV and TB triple infection in Asia, South America, and Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a genus of retroviruses that targets immune cells and may eventually cause immune-deficiency illness. Triple infection of HIV/hepatitis B virus (HBV) /tuberculosis (TB) leads...
The effect of Chinese medicine therapeutics on HIV/AIDS: A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Background Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) effectively suppresses HIV, incomplete immune reconstitution affects 20%–30% of adherent patients. Chinese Medicine (CM) demonstrates potential as a complementary therapy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired...
Influences of gender-based stigma on HIV prevention and care among older women: A scoping review
Older women living with HIV are uniquely situated at multiple marginalized intersections because of their gender, age, and HIV status. However, research into how gender-based stigma (GBS) affects HIV prevention...
HIV self-testing and partner notification strategies for key populations in low- to upper-middle-income countries: A mixed-methods systematic review
BACKGROUND: HIV self-testing (HIVST) enhances case diagnosis, but information on its integration for index testing to partner notification is limited. Assessing the acceptability and feasibility of index HIVST and partner...
