Category Archives: Testing
Uptake of couples HIV testing and counselling among heterosexual couples in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
There is a need for further research to inform policy and practice on Couples HIV Testing and Counselling (CHTC) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The aim of this systematic review and...
Performance of non-laboratory staff for diagnostic testing and specimen collection in HIV programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: In most high HIV burden countries, many HIV patients do not have reliable access to required diagnostic laboratory tests. Task shifting of clinical tasks to lower cadres of health...
How effective are approaches to migrant screening for infectious diseases in Europe? A systematic review
Rates of migration to Europe, and within Europe, have increased in recent years, with considerable implications for health systems. Migrants in Europe face a disproportionate burden of tuberculosis, HIV, and...
Scaling up HIV self-testing in sub-Saharan Africa: A review of technology, policy and evidence
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: HIV self-testing (HIVST) can provide complementary coverage to existing HIV testing services and improve knowledge of status among HIV-infected individuals. This review summarizes the current technology, policy...
Strategies to link people with undiagnosed HIV infection to HIV testing, care, and prevention services
Key take-home messages A variety of strategies have shown promise for identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV and engaging them with HIV testing using clinical, community-based, network-based, and self-directed approaches. Various...
A cross-jurisdictional review of HIV testing intervals for population groups at high risk of HIV infection
Key take-home messages Most guidelines recommend at least annual HIV testing of population groups at high risk of HIV infection. These include: men who have sex with men, transgender women...
A comparative review of mobile health and electronic health utilization in sub-Saharan African countries
This study distinguished between the application of e-health and m-health technologies in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries based on the dimensions of use, targeted diseases or health conditions, locations of use,...
HIV-related care for transgender people: A systematic review of studies from around the world
RATIONALE: Transgender people face unique challenges, such as structural, interpersonal, and individual vulnerabilities to chronic diseases. Stigma and prejudice may hamper their access to health care and prevent their inclusion...
The effectiveness of social marketing interventions to improve HIV testing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men: A systematic review
HIV testing is central to biomedical HIV prevention, but testing among men who have sex with men remains suboptimal. We evaluated effectiveness of mass media and communication interventions to increase...
What works? Prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne viruses in migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, northeast Asia and southeast Asia living in high-income countries: A systematic review
Migration is a significant risk factor for the acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). An increasing proportion of these infections...
Retest and treat: A review of national HIV retesting guidelines to inform elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission (EMTCT) efforts
INTRODUCTION: High maternal HIV incidence contributes substantially to mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) in some settings. Since 2006, HIV retesting during the third trimester and breastfeeding has been recommended by the...
Healthcare workers’ perspectives on the barriers to providing HIV services to children in sub-Saharan Africa
Background: In order to accelerate the HIV response to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 indicators for children, healthcare workers need to lead a scale-up of HIV services in primary healthcare settings....
