Category Archives: Health Systems
Lessons from the field: A systematic review of global and continental prevalence and challenges of people living with HIV (COVID-19)
COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, accounts for 186 million infections and more than 4 million deaths globally. This systematic review concentrates on the epidemiological profiling of HIV/AIDS, along with the unique...
Contextual and culturally adapted interventions to improve HIV outcomes: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy is widely available, yet structural, social, and cultural barriers still limit human immunodeficiency virus prevention and care. Prevention tools such as consistent condom use and pre-exposure prophylaxis...
Promoting healthy aging through mindfulness and yoga: A systematic review of interventions for people living with HIV who use drugs or who have a history of substance use
Advances in HIV care and broader access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) have extended life expectancy for people living with HIV, yet aging-related health concerns, especially among those who use substances,...
Viral load suppression after enhanced adherence counseling among HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy (2019–2024): A systematic review and meta-analysis in East Africa
Introduction Viral load suppression is essential for reducing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) related morbidity and mortality. To eliminate the HIV epidemic and enhance adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) globally, the...
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...
Moxibustion for human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and its complications: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively evaluate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of moxibustion on people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across eight electronic...
Risk of hepatitis C virus reinfection after direct-acting antiviral treatment among HIV-positive men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection following successful direct-acting antiviral therapy in HIV/HCV co-infected individuals remains a significant public health concern. This study aimed to estimate the reinfection...
The safety of cabotegravir in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: HIV remains an important global public health crisis. Antiretroviral treatment has been essential to suppress viral replication, and in at-risk individuals, antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis drugs (PrEP) lower transmission rates....
Evolving landscape of economic evaluations of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation strategies: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: Economic evaluations of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and associated implementation strategies guide evidence-based policies, programmes and resource allocation. Since 2015, there has been an evolution in PrEP modalities, implementation...
