AIDS and behavior
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Injection drug use is a key risk factor for the transmission of HIV. Prevention strategies, such as the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), are effective at reducing the risk of HIV transmission in people who inject drugs (PWID). Following PRISMA guidelines, a literature search was conducted to identify the current state of the PrEP care cascade in PWID. ⋯ There is a lack of research on interventions to increase engagement of PrEP across all levels of the care cascade in PWID. Implications from the interventions that have been published provide insight into practice and public policy on efficacious strategies to reduce HIV incidence in PWID. Our findings suggest that more efforts are needed to identify and screen PWID for PrEP eligibility and to link and maintain them with appropriate PrEP care.
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This paper presents a systematic review of the quantitative HIV research that assessed the relationships between religion, spirituality, HIV syndemics, and individual HIV syndemics-related health conditions (e.g. depression, substance abuse, HIV risk) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. No quantitative studies were found that assessed the relationships between HIV syndemics, religion, and spirituality. ⋯ Given the overall lack of inclusion of religion and spirituality in HIV syndemics research, a conceptual model that hypothesizes the potential interactions of religion and spirituality with HIV syndemics-related health conditions is presented. The implications of the model for MSM's health are outlined.
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This paper presents a systematic review of the quantitative HIV research that assessed the relationships between religion, spirituality, HIV syndemics, and individual HIV syndemics-related health conditions (e.g. depression, substance abuse, HIV risk) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. No quantitative studies were found that assessed the relationships between HIV syndemics, religion, and spirituality. ⋯ Given the overall lack of inclusion of religion and spirituality in HIV syndemics research, a conceptual model that hypothesizes the potential interactions of religion and spirituality with HIV syndemics-related health conditions is presented. The implications of the model for MSM's health are outlined.
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A growing body of research has identified food insecurity as a barrier to antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. We systematically reviewed and summarized the quantitative literature on food insecurity or food assistance and ART adherence. We identified nineteen analyses from eighteen distinct studies examining food insecurity and ART adherence. ⋯ Four studies examined the association between food assistance and ART adherence, and three found that ART adherence was significantly better among food assistance recipients than non-recipients. Across diverse populations, food insecurity is an important barrier to ART adherence, and food assistance appears to be a promising intervention strategy to improve ART adherence among persons living with HIV. Additional research is needed to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of food assistance in improving ART adherence and other clinical outcomes among people living with HIV in the era of widespread and long-term treatment.
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HIV stigma is a pressing concern for people living with HIV, and particularly when it is perpetuated by health care providers, as it may affect quality of life and access to health care services. The current study describes the development and initial validation of a contextually appropriate HIV stigma scale for health care providers in North America. ⋯ The study supports a tripartite model of HIV stigma consisting of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. The scale provides a new tool to assess HIV stigma in health care providers and can be used to inform training, intervention and self-evaluation of stigmatizing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors among providers.