Category Archives: Health Systems
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the MENA region: A systematic review with comparative evidence from sub-Saharan Africa
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces distinct challenges in addressing the HIV epidemic, including social stigma, limited surveillance data, and insufficient coverage of prevention services. Prevention of...
Factors influencing implementation of point-of-care tests for maternal and newborn screening and diagnosis in low-resource settings: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Despite the potential of point-of-care (POC) tests to improve maternal and newborn health, implementation in low- and middle-income countries remains inconsistent. POC testing enables rapid, decentralized screening, but barriers...
Rifapentine-isoniazid versus isoniazid-alone therapy for tuberculosis prevention among people living with HIV (PLHIV): A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
Introduction Tuberculosis (TB), a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), accounted for 161,000 deaths among HIV-co-infected patients in 2023. Tuberculosis preventive therapy...
Effects of transition from paediatric to adult HIV care on virological outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: HIV remains a major global burden, with 2.4 million children and adolescents affected, 84% living in sub-Saharan Africa. As adolescents age, transitioning from paediatric to adult HIV care represents a...
Strategies to integrate non-communicable disease interventions in HIV and tuberculosis care contexts in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Integration of management of tuberculosis (TB) and HIV with prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a global priority. However, delivering the full spectrum of HIV/TB and NCD...
Surveillance of HIV-1 drug resistance in Tanzania across the pre- and post-dolutegravir eras: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the prevalence, mutation patterns, and factors associated with HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in Tanzania. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase from January 1, 2006, to...
Alternative administration of antiretroviral therapy in people with HIV unable to swallow: A scoping review
PURPOSE: To review published evidence on alternative administration methods for antiretroviral therapy in patients unable to swallow tablets. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review using PubMed, Web of Science, and...
Global coverage of interventions for reduction of injecting drug use-related harm, HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis in prisons and other carceral settings: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: People who are incarcerated experience disproportionately high rates of injecting drug use and infectious disease, including HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis. However, comprehensive global data regarding the availability of...
A systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between antiretroviral therapy refill type and viral suppression
To reduce barriers to viral suppression, people living with HIV (PLWH) are placed on multi-month dispensing (MMD)of antiretroviral therapy medication. However, there are concerns about viral rebound following MMD initiation,...
Rapid diagnostic tests, laboratory-based immunoassay and nucleic acid testing strategies for long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (LAI-PrEP) is a highly effective biomedical intervention for the prevention of HIV acquisition. There is a strong interest among communities and policymakers for LAI-PrEP scale-up,...
Effectiveness of mobile health (mHealth) interventions on ART adherence among people living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is essential for HIV treatment, yet maintaining high adherence remains challenging in resource-limited settings. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer a scalable approach to support adherence. This meta-analysis...
Worldwide changes in HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV: A cross-temporal meta-analysis and systematic review
Background: HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV has emerged as a growing public health concern, yet limited longitudinal data are available to characterize its evolution over time. In this study,...
