Category Archives: Health Systems
The role of nurses in HIV screening in health care facilities: A systematic review
OBJECTIVE: To examine nurse-driven HIV screening in various health care settings in terms of its impact on test offering, acceptance and delivery rates, nursing responsibilities, staff perceptions and long-term implementation....
Taking culture seriously in biomedical HIV prevention trials: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies
A substantial gap exists between widespread acknowledgement of the importance of incorporating cultural sensitivity in biomedical HIV prevention trials and empirical evidence to guide the operationalization of cultural sensitivity in...
The proportion and trend of human immunodeficiency virus infections associated with men who have sex with men from Chinese voluntary blood donors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive cases associated with men who have sex with men (MSM) have rapidly increased over the past years. The objective of this study is to comprehensively...
Optimal strategies for monitoring response to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults, adolescents, children and pregnant women: A systematic review
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to examine different monitoring strategies (clinical, immunologic (CD4 T cell count measurement) and virologic (viral load measurement)) to inform revision of the 2013...
Service delivery interventions to improve adolescents’ linkage, retention and adherence to antiretroviral therapy and HIV care
OBJECTIVES: Adolescents living with HIV face substantial difficulties in accessing HIV care services and have worse treatment outcomes than other age groups. The objective of this review was to evaluate...
Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) has expanded since 2007 WHO guidelines were established. We conducted a systematic review of PITC in low- and middle-income countries. Peer-reviewed studies were included...
Impact of geographic and transportation-related barriers on HIV outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
Difficulty obtaining reliable transportation to clinic is frequently cited as a barrier to HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Numerous studies have sought to characterize the impact of geographic and...
Comparative safety and neuropsychiatric adverse events associated with efavirenz use in first-line antiretroviral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
INTRODUCTION: Efavirenz (EFV) is widely used for the treatment of antiretroviral-naive HIV-positive individuals, but there are concerns about the risk of adverse neuropsychiatric events. We systematically reviewed the safety of...
Net benefits of resistance testing directed therapy compared with standard of care in HIV-infected patients with virological failure: A meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: We incorporated the latest available information to evaluate the net benefit of using resistance testing in HIV-infected patients with virological failure. METHODS: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the...
HIV pre-test information, discussion or counselling? A review of guidance relevant to the WHO European Region
OBJECTIVES: In the context of a shift from exceptionalism to normalisation, this study examines recommendations/evidence in current pan-European/global guidelines regarding pre-test HIV testing and counselling practices in health care settings....
