Category Archives: Health Systems
HIV testing during systematic screening for tuberculosis among household contacts in high-tuberculosis burden settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis household contacts are at elevated risk of HIV, and systematic screening for tuberculosis is an opportunity for people to know their status. We aimed to assess the coverage...
Integrating PrEP and sexual reproductive health services for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: A scoping review
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa bear a disproportionate burden of the global HIV epidemic. Integrating PrEP into sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services offers a promising...
Risk prediction models for targeted testing of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Diagnosing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in general population settings is challenging. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of...
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...
Factors influencing antiretroviral therapy adherence among youth living with HIV: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is vital for controlling the viral load and disease progression in people living with HIV. Previous reviews on ART adherence among youths living with...
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...
