Leaving No One Behind: The Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among Key and Vulnerable Populations

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on HIV prevention and treatment among key and vulnerable populations (KVPs).

Despite a 60% reduction in HIV incidence since its peak in 1995, key and vulnerable populations continue to be a critical demographic for HIV epidemic control.  In 2023, 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV. Among the new infections, 44% were women and girls. Furthermore, although HIV prevalence has reduced to less than one percent among the adult population globally, key and vulnerable people have higher prevalences. Key and vulnerable people most affected by HIV include adolescent girls and young women aged 15-25 years in eastern and southern Africa, gay men and other men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender people, and people in prisons. The uptake and adherence to HIV treatment among KVPs is also lower than that of the general population.

There is a need to enhance the evidence base on strategies to improve the utilization of HIV prevention methods among these KVPs to reach epidemic control. Additionally, strategies are required to improve the uptake of and adherence to HIV treatment among them. To gather insights into the challenges and opportunities within HIV prevention and treatment of KVPs, we welcome articles addressing knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of KVPs concerning HIV prevention methods and treatment, as well as strategies and policies to improve them. We also welcome articles focusing on new HIV prevention and treatment drugs. Authors are encouraged to contribute opinion articles, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods primary research, as well as scoping reviews, literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, meta-synthesis, and editorials on these topics.

Dr. Enos Moyo
Dr. Tafadzwa Dzinamarira
Guest Editors

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