Using machine learning models to plan HIV services: Emerging opportunities in design, implementation and evaluation.

Journal: South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
Published Date:

Abstract

HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health and economic challenges, with approximately 36 million people currently living with the disease. Considerable progress has been made to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in the past years through successful multiple HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment interventions. However, barriers such as lack of engagement, limited availability of early HIV-infection detection tools, high rates of HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs), barriers to access antiretroviral therapy, lack of innovative resource optimisation and distribution strategies, and poor prevention services for vulnerable populations still exist and substantially affect the attainment of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets. A rapid review was conducted from 24 October 2022 to 5 November 2022. Literature searches were conducted in different prominent and reputable electronic database repositories including PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Springer. The study used various search keywords to search for relevant publications. From a list of collected publications, researchers used inclusion and exclusion criteria to screen and select relevant papers for inclusion in this review. This study unpacks emerging opportunities that can be explored by applying machine learning techniques to further knowledge and understanding about HIV service design, prediction, implementation, and evaluation. Therefore, there is a need to explore innovative and more effective analytic strategies including machine learning approaches to understand and improve HIV service design, planning, implementation, and evaluation to strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and awareness strategies.

Authors

  • T Dzinamarira
    School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. u19395419@up.ac.za.
  • E Mbunge
    Department of Computer Science, University of Eswatini, Manzini, Eswatini. mbungeelliot@gmail.com.
  • I Chingombe
    Chinhoyi University of Technology, Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. ic2421@cumc.columbia.edu.
  • D F Cuadros
    Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA. cuadrod@ucmail.uc.edu.
  • E Moyo
    Redx Anti-Infectives Ltd Alderley Park Macclesfield SK10 4TG Cheshire UK.
  • I Chitungo
    College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. ichitungo@medsch.uz.ac.zw.
  • G Murewanhema
    College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. gmurewanhema@yahoo.com.
  • B Muchemwa
    Department of Computer Science, University of Eswatini, Manzini, Eswatini. benhildahmuchemwa@gmail.com.
  • G Rwibasira
    HIV, STIs, Viral Hepatitis and other Viral Diseases Control Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Rwanda. rwibas@gmail.com.
  • O Mugurungi
    AIDS and TB Program, Ministry of Health and Child Care, Harare, Zimbabwe. mugurungi@gmail.com.
  • G Musuka
    International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, Harare, Zimbabwe. gm2660@cumc.columbia.edu.
  • H Herrera
    School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, UK. u19395419@up.ac.za.