Category Archives: Testing
Risk of HIV transmission by healthcare workers – a systematic review
BACKGROUND: Occupational HIV infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) has declined markedly in high-income countries as a result of improved infection prevention and control, safety-engineered devices, and the widespread availability of...
The global epidemiology of injecting drug use, HIV, viral hepatitis and tuberculosis among people who are incarcerated: a multistage systematic review
BACKGROUND: This global systematic review assesses the prevalence of injecting drug use (IDU) and key infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis C virus [HCV], tuberculosis and hepatitis B virus [HBV]) among people...
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...
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...
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,...
Commonality and co-occurrence of discrete strategies within implementation strategy bundles: findings from the Living Database of HIV Implementation Science systematic review, 2014-2021
BACKGROUND: HIV services and innovations are delivered through implementation strategy bundles that are often complex, comprising numerous discrete strategies. Systematically characterizing the use patterns of discrete strategies may inform strategy...
A scoping review of the methods, content, and populations of rural LGBTQ health research since the new millennium
INTRODUCTION: This scoping review mapped the population characteristics, methodologies, content, and publishing trends of primary research focused on rural LGBTQ individuals since the year 2000. METHODS: We conducted a search...
Harm reduction progams and interventions for equity-deserving populations who use crack-cocaine. A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Crack-cocaine use is associated with severe physical and mental health consequences, including cardiac, pulmonary and psychiatric conditions. It also heightens the risk of overdose and transmission of infectious diseases...
Knowledge of reproductive-age women about mother-to-child transmission of HIV and associated factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
INTRODUCTION: Despite significant efforts to manage and prevent HIV, knowledge gaps persist regarding mother-to-child transmission of HIV among women of reproductive age. Previous studies, limited in scope and producing inconsistent...
Peer network approaches for improving HIV testing, prevention and care utilisation among men in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
INTRODUCTION: Limited male engagement in HIV prevention and care is a global challenge more pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) contributing to ongoing transmission. However, peer network interventions show promise in...
Barriers and facilitators to the diagnosis of HIV and other STIs in primary care within publicly funded healthcare systems: A systematic review of qualitative studies
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a major public health concern. Primary care (PC) is the ideal setting for their diagnosis. Designing effective strategies...
