Category Archives: Health Systems
Access to hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs in low and middle income settings: Evidence from 5 countries in Eastern Europe and Asia
BACKGROUND: People who inject drugs (PWID) are disproportionately affected by the hepatitis C (HCV) epidemic. Of the estimated 16 million PWID worldwide, approximately 8 million live with chronic HCV, and...
Policing practices as a structural determinant for HIV among sex workers: A systematic review of empirical findings
INTRODUCTION: Sex workers are disproportionately infected with HIV worldwide. Significant focus has been placed on understanding the structural determinants of HIV and designing related interventions. Although there is growing international...
Efficacy and safety of contemporary dual-drug antiretroviral regimens as first-line treatment or as a simplification strategy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Some guidelines recommended two-drug antiretroviral therapies as alternative regimens to triple therapy in selected patients with the aim of reducing drug burden and toxicity and preserving future treatment options....
A systematic review on confidentiality, disclosure, and stigma in the United States: Lessons for HIV care in pregnancy from reproductive genetics
The fields of HIV care in pregnancy and reproductive genetics have always been ‘exceptional’ in that patients are highly concerned about the potential for stigma and the corresponding need for...
Option B+ for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection in developing countries: A review of published cost-effectiveness analyses
OBJECTIVE: To review the published literature on the cost effectiveness of Option B+ (lifelong antiretroviral therapy) for preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV during pregnancy and breastfeeding to inform decision...
Dynamic transmission economic evaluation of infectious disease interventions in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic literature review
Economic evaluation using dynamic transmission models is important for capturing the indirect effects of infectious disease interventions. We examine the use of these methods in low- and middle-income countries, where...
Incidence of opportunistic infections and the impact of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected adults in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: To understand regional burdens and inform delivery of health services, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on incidence of key...
The views and experiences of nurses and midwives in the provision and management of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling: A systematic review of qualitative evidence
BACKGROUND: Global progress towards HIV prevention and care is contingent upon increasing the number of those aware of their status through HIV testing. Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling is recommended...
Evaluation of a rapid point of care test for detecting acute and established HIV infection, and examining the role of study quality on diagnostic accuracy: A Bayesian meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: Fourth generation (Ag/Ab combination) point of care HIV tests like the FDA-approved Determine HIV1/2 Ag/Ab Combo test offer the promise of timely detection of acute HIV infection, relevant in...
