Category Archives: Health Systems
Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol among older people living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: Metabolic comorbidities are significant health challenges for older people living with HIV (PLHIV). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize existing evidence and provide the pooled prevalence of...
Community-based rapid testing for HIV in Europe and Central Asia: A narrative review of models, effectiveness, and implementation challenges
This narrative review examines the evolution, implementation, and impact of Community-Based HIV Testing (CBT) across Europe and Central Asia (ECA), a region where late diagnosis remains a persistent challenge and...
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...
Effectiveness of friendship bench in alleviating anxiety and depression symptoms among people living with HIV and high-risk populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the Friendship Bench (FB) intervention’s efficacy in relieving anxiety and depression among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and high-risk populations, explored intervention effect heterogeneity,...
HIV vulnerability among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of individual social and structural determinants
BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15 to 24 years continue to bear a disproportionate burden of HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Although substantial research has examined behavioral...
Integrating smoking cessation into HIV care settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness and the evidence gap in cost-effectiveness
The prevalence of smoking among people living with HIV (PLWH) is higher than in the general population, and PLWH who smoke are at increased risk of both smoking- and HIV-related...
Barriers and facilitators to preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Women account for 59% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection cases in sub-Saharan Africa. This impacts the increase in mother-to-child HIV transmission rates and presents challenges to preventive care for...
From community engagement to lived experience leadership: A systematic review of HIV services among men who have sex with men
Community responses are essential to achieving the global goal of Ending AIDS by 2030, yet men who have sex with men (MSM) remain underrepresented and often tokenized within HIV initiatives....
Usable access to HIV testing and care among people with migrant backgrounds in Japan: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: Japan’s growing migrant population has increased the need for HIV services usable across linguistic, administrative and social circumstances. We reviewed evidence on access to HIV testing and care among...
What tools do we have to end the US HIV epidemic? A review of structural, biomedical and implementation interventions and their potential population impact
INTRODUCTION: The United States Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative was always challenged by structural and implementation barriers to HIV care. On top of that, since 2025, there are additional...
Assessing the impact, barriers and facilitators of peer-driven interventions on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: Peer interventions may improve retention across the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) cascade in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a major barrier....
Breastfeeding practices and perspectives in the setting of maternal HIV in high-income countries since the shift in the United States national guidelines: A scoping review
Introduction: United States national guidelines around infant feeding in the setting of maternal HIV were updated significantly in 2023. The updated guidelines encourage evidence-based counseling and emphasize shared decision-making around infant...
