Category Archives: Testing
Acceptability and feasibility of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Southeast Asia: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: The availability of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Southeast Asia remains limited compared to regions like Western Europe or North America. Additionally, little is known about how key populations...
Pre-exposure prophylaxis access, uptake and usage by young people: A systematic review of barriers and facilitators
BACKGROUND: Young people’s sexual health decision-making, including decisions to access and adhere to HIV prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), are influenced by a range of internal and external...
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV healthcare delivery for females in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review
Throughout sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), females are disproportionately impacted by HIV and face generalized but also gendered social and economic barriers to accessing HIV healthcare and services. At the outset of...
Predictors of maternal HIV acquisition during pregnancy and lactation in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
OBJECTIVES: To eliminate vertical transmission of HIV, global institutions recommend using a risk-guided approach for HIV prevention services in antenatal and postnatal settings. Identifying predictors of maternal HIV acquisition can...
Community-based psychosocial support interventions to reduce stigma and improve mental health of people with infectious diseases: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Stigma experienced by people with infectious diseases impedes access to care, leading to adverse psychosocial consequences. Community-based interventions could prevent or mitigate these consequences but lack robust evidence. This...
Prevalence and associated factors of HIV among female sex workers in Eastern and Southern Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Female sex workers (FSWs) are marginalized groups of the population who have limited access to healthcare and a higher risk of HIV infection due to biobehavioral and structural risk...
Depressive symptoms and HIV viral suppression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Previous research suggests that depression impacts HIV outcomes, including viral suppression. This meta-analysis quantifies the association between depression and HIV viral suppression. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed,...
Application of the COM-B model to facilitators and barriers to HIV and STI testing among people from Black African and Black Caribbean communities in the UK: A scoping review
OBJECTIVE: Individuals from Black African and Black Caribbean communities (black communities) in the UK bear a disproportionate burden of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while exhibiting lower testing rates....
Onset and predictors of first-line antiretroviral therapy treatment failure among children in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Introduction: The emergence of First-line Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) regimens fails; it necessitates the use of more costly and less tolerable second-line medications. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and address factors...
Barriers to PrEP use and adherence among adolescent girls and young women in Eastern, Southern, and Western Africa: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Globally, in 2022, an estimated 4000 AGYW 15–24 were newly infected with HIV weekly, and nearly 78% of...
Prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of HIV care in HIV-positive clients entering HIV care with advanced HIV disease in sub-Saharan Africa 2010–2022: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Background and aims: Sub-Saharan Africa drives global HIV-related mortality, and patients continuously present with advanced HIV disease (AHD) at diagnosis. We describe prevalence, predictors, and treatment outcomes in HIV clients with...
