Developing a matrix to identify and prioritise research recommendations in HIV Prevention

BACKGROUND: HIV prevention continues to be problematic in the UK, as it does globally. The UK Department of Health has a strategic direction with greater focus on prevention as part of its World Class Commissioning Programme. There is a need for targeted evidence-based prevention initiatives. This is an exploratory study to develop an evidence mapping tool in the form of a matrix: this will be used to identify important gaps in contemporary HIV prevention evidence relevant to the UK. It has the potential to aid prioritisation in future research.METHODS: Categories for prevention and risk groups were developed for HIV prevention in consultation with external experts. These were used as axes on a matrix tool to map evidence. Systematic searches for publications on HIV prevention were undertaken using electronic databases for primary and secondary research undertaken mainly in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, 2006-9. Each publication was screened for inclusion then coded. The risk groups and prevention areas in each paper were counted: several publications addressed multiple risk groups. The counts were exported to the matrix and clearly illustrate the concentrations and gaps of literature in HIV prevention.RESULTS: 716 systematic reviews, randomised control trials and other primary research met the inclusion criteria for HIV prevention. The matrix identified several under researched areas in HIV prevention.CONCLUSIONS: This is the first categorisation system for HIV prevention and the matrix is a novel tool for evidence mapping. Some important yet under-researched areas have been identified in HIV prevention evidence: identifying the undiagnosed population; international adaptation; education; intervention combinations; transgender; sex-workers; heterosexuals and older age groups.<br/

Health Technology Assessment programme annual report 2000

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:1376.1575(2000) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The annual report of the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme 1998

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:1376.1575(1998) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The annual report of the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme 1999

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:1376.1575(1999) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Antimicrobial prophylaxis in total hip replacement A systematic review

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(vol 3 no 21) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Handling uncertainty when performing economic evalutation of healthcare interventions

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(vol 3 no 2) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Positron emission tomography Establishing priorities for health technology assessment

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(vol 3 no 16) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Antimicrobial prophylaxis in colorectal surgery A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(2/7) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Preschool vision screening

ReviewAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(1/8) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Screening for ovarian cancer A systematic review

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:4275.2242(2/2) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo