Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Feb 5, 2022
Date Accepted: Aug 4, 2022
The LIVE project: A Protocol for Rapid Living Reviews of HIV Implementation Research
ABSTRACT
Background:
HIV implementation research evolves rapidly and is often complex and poorly characterized, making synthesis of data on HIV implementation strategies inherently difficult. This is further compromised by prolonged data abstraction processes due to variable interventions, outcomes, and context, and delays in publication of review findings; this can all result in outdated and irrelevant systematic reviews.
Objective:
The LIVE project (A Living Database of HIV Implementation Research) aims to overcome these challenges by applying an implementation science lens to the conduct of rapid living systematic reviews and meta-analyses to inform HIV service delivery priorities and guideline development.
Methods:
The LIVE project will generate a series of living systematic reviews exploring implementation strategies for improving HIV cascade outcomes (HIV infection, HIV diagnosis, linkage and retention in HIV care, viral suppression and mortality). We will search Embase and Medline as well databases specific to review questions for studies conducted after 2004, using predefined search terms to identify studies conducted in any age group or setting, and using implementation strategies that target policy makers, society, health organizations, health workers, and beneficiaries of care and their families. Both randomized controlled trials and observational studies will be included to ensure reviews include pragmatic data. In addition to assessments of methodological quality, features of the implementation strategies, relevance for implementation and evidence quality will be determined using recognized frameworks. After intial publication, knowledge gaps will be identified and review questions and search strategies revised to addresses ongoing ciritical areas of inquiry. Updated searches will be conducted six monthly, with subsequent ongoing screening, data abstraction and revised meta-analyses.
Results:
The LIVE project is ongoing and currently has no targeted completion date given the living nature of reviews, three systematic reviews are underway and living review processes are currently in development for two reviews.
Conclusions:
This project and resulting systematic reviews will provide critical insights for HIV service delivery to inform international guideline development.
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