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. 2020 Feb;33(1):44-50.
doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000619.

Digital health for sexually transmitted infection and HIV services: a global scoping review

Bolin Cao  1 , Huanyu Bao  2   3 , Emmanuela Oppong  4 , Siyang Feng  5 , Kumi M Smith  6 , Joseph D Tucker  3   7 , Weiming Tang  2   3
Affiliations

Digital health for sexually transmitted infection and HIV services: a global scoping review

Bolin Cao et al. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose of review: The current study aimed to review how digital health has been used for sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV prevention, testing, and treatment.

Recent findings: A scoping review was conducted by searching five databases for peer-reviewed literature published between March 2018 to August 2019. 23 out of 258 studies met the inclusion criteria and were assessed. Six studies used digital platform to enhance STI/HIV prevention messaging; four studies found that digital health can provide vivid promotional information and has been instrumental in increasing the accessibility and acceptability of STI/HIV testing; three studies reported digital health provides a channel to understand and interpret the discourses on preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and increase PrEP uptake; three studies focused on refining big data algorithms for surveillance; four studies reported on how digital interventions could be used to optimize clinical interventions; and four studies found digital interventions can be used to assist mental health services.

Summary: Digital health is a powerful and versatile tool that can be utilized in the production of high-quality, innovative strategies on STIs and HIV services. Future studies should consider focusing on strategies and implementations that leverage digital platforms for network-based interventions, in addition to recognizing the norms of individual digital intervention platforms.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None

Figures

Figure 1,
Figure 1,
Flowchart of the review (Original)
Figure 2,
Figure 2,
Type of digital STI/HIV interventions (Original)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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