Category Archives: Testing
Patient acceptability and feasibility of HIV testing in emergency departments in the UK — A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: NICE 2016 HIV testing guidelines now include the recommendation to offer HIV testing in Emergency Departments, in areas of high prevalence,(1) to everyone who is undergoing blood tests. 23%...
Hospital-based routine HIV testing in high-income countries: A systematic literature review
OBJECTIVES: To produce a summary of the published evidence of the barriers and facilitators for hospital-based routine HIV testing in high-income countries. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for studies, which...
Diagnostic accuracy of tests to detect hepatitis B surface antigen: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is characterised by the persistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Expanding HBV diagnosis and treatment programmes into low resource settings will require...
Measurements of sexuality-based stigma among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in resource-poor settings: A review
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in resource-poor settings are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. GBMSM living in these settings may face unique barriers...
Do digital innovations for HIV and sexually transmitted infections work? Results from a systematic review (1996–2017)
OBJECTIVE: Digital innovations with internet/mobile phones offer a potential cost-saving solution for overburdened health systems with high service delivery costs to improve efficiency of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infections) control initiatives....
A systematic review of emergency department based HIV testing and linkage to care initiatives in low resource settings
INTRODUCTION: Only 45% of people currently living with HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa are aware of their HIV status. Unmet testing needs may be addressed by utilizing the Emergency Department...
Online interventions to address HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections among young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men: A systematic review
INTRODUCTION: Globally, young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to experience disproportionately high rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs)....
Implementation effectiveness of revised (post-2010) World Health Organization guidelines on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV using routinely collected data in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review
BACKGROUND: To synthesize and evaluate the impact of implementing post-2010 World Health Organization (WHO) prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) guidelines on attainment of PMTCT targets. METHODS: Retrospective and prospective cohort...
Scaling a waterfall: A meta-ethnography of adolescent progression through the stages of HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa
INTRODUCTION: Observational studies have shown considerable attrition among adolescents living with HIV across the “cascade” of HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to higher mortality rates compared to HIV-infected adults...
A historical review of HIV prevention and care initiatives in British Columbia, Canada: 1996-2015
INTRODUCTION: British Columbia has made significant progress in the treatment and prevention of HIV since 1996, when Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) became available. However, we currently lack a historical...
mHealth application areas and technology combinations*. A comparison of literature from high and low/middle income countries
BACKGROUND: With the continuous and enormous spread of mobile technologies, mHealth has evolved as a new subfield of eHealth. While eHealth is broadly focused on information and communication technologies, mHealth...
To err is human, to correct is public health: A systematic review examining poor quality testing and misdiagnosis of HIV status
INTRODUCTION: In accordance with global testing and treatment targets, many countries are seeking ways to reach the “90-90-90” goals, starting with diagnosing 90% of all people with HIV. Quality HIV...
