Category Archives: Testing
Conceptualizing care continua: Lessons from HIV, hepatitis C virus, tuberculosis and implications for the development of improved care and prevention continua
BACKGROUND: To examine the application of continuum models to tuberculosis, HIV, and other conditions; to theorize the concept of continua; and to learn lessons that could inform the development of...
Returning for HIV test results: A systematic review of barriers and facilitators
This systematic review aims to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the return for HIV test results. Four electronic databases were searched. Two independent reviewers selected eligible publications based on...
Opt-out screening strategy for HIV infection among patients attending emergency departments: Systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVES: International health agencies have promoted nontargeted universal (opt-out) HIV screening tests in different settings, including emergency departments (EDs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the testing...
Motivations and barriers to treatment uptake and adherence among people living with HIV in Australia: A mixed-methods systematic review
In Australia, approximately 30% of people diagnosed with HIV are not accessing treatment and 8% of those receiving treatment fail to achieve viral suppression. Barriers limiting effective care warrant further...
HIV-alcohol risk reduction interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of the literature and recommendations for a way forward
Sub-Saharan Africa bears 69 % of the global burden of HIV, and strong evidence indicates an association between alcohol consumption, HIV risk behavior, and HIV incidence. However, characteristics of efficacious...
HIV epidemiology and responses among men who have sex with men and transgender individuals in China: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Despite global efforts to control HIV among key populations, new infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) individuals are still increasing. The increasing HIV...
Paediatric HIV testing beyond the context of prevention of mother-to-child transmission: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Many HIV-positive children in low-income and middle-income countries remain undiagnosed. Although HIV testing in children at health facilities is recommended by WHO, it is not well implemented. This systematic...
Interventions to reduce loss to follow-up during all stages of the HIV care continuum in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
The continuum of care for successful HIV treatment includes HIV testing, linkage, engagement in care, and retention on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Loss to follow-up (LTFU) is a significant disruption to...
The effect of HIV counselling and testing on HIV acquisition in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: Annually, millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) receive HIV counselling and testing (HCT), a service designed to inform persons of their HIV status and, if HIV uninfected, reduce...