Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42092912›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Assessment of knowledge and use of HIV primary and secondary prevention strategies in Portugal: a scoping review.

João Brázia, Boxuan Wang, Paula Meireles, Eugenio Valdano, Andreia Sofia Teixeira

Abstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

João BráziaBRAN Lab, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University London, Devon House, 58 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1LP, UK. simoesbrazia.j@northeastern.edu.
Boxuan WangSorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Paris, F75012, France.
Paula MeirelesEPIUnit ITR, Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, n° 135, Porto, 4050-600, Portugal.
Eugenio ValdanoSorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Paris, F75012, France.
Andreia Sofia TeixeiraBRAN Lab, Network Science Institute, Northeastern University London, Devon House, 58 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1LP, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPortugal has been committed to achieve UNAIDS target goals by the end of 2030 by improving accessibility of prevention programs to the general population and key populations. However, Portugal remains as one of the countries in the European Union with the highest annual number of reported HIV cases and the highest proportion of AIDS diagnosis. The main aim of this scoping review is to understand how knowledge and usage of primary and secondary prevention strategies are being assessed in Portugal across key populations, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, migrants and transgender.

methodsWe performed searches on PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus for peer-reviewed journal articles published in English or in Portuguese, between 2008 and 2025, that reported knowledge and/or use assessment of at least one prevention outcome (condom, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP) in at least one of the key population groups under study.

resultsFrom the 655 studies identified in our initial search, 54 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. Most studies focused on condoms and testing. While we did not find studies focused on condom knowledge assessment, condom usage was characterized using a broad set of indicators defined according to the type of partnership, gender, type of sexual intercourse, sexual role preference, time window, and frequency across key populations. Knowledge about HIV testing was defined across studies as knowing where to get tested and/or that HIV testing is confidential and free, while usage was defined for multiple frequencies and recall periods. PrEP and PEP knowledge and usage were often assessed coupled with condom usage in the last 6 months. DISCUSSION: The assessment of primary and secondary prevention strategies was highly heterogeneous. Multiple instrument assessment methods were defined for different recall periods, which makes it challenging to compare assessment methods across studies, both within and across key populations, and to develop mathematical modelling studies that can inform public health policies.

conclusionThis review highlights the need to promote the homogeneity and harmonization of studies within and between key populations, which is crucial to develop successful HIV prevention programs in Portugal.

Indexed as

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHIV InfectionsPrimary PreventionSecondary PreventionCondomsFemaleHumansMalePortugalSex WorkersTransients and MigrantsAssessmentHIVKey populationKnowledgeScoping reviewUse

Identifiers

PMID42092912
PMCPMC13317048

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.