Publication of responses to a Cochrane systematic review on mass media interventions for HIV testing

Article type
Authors
Vidanapathirana J, Randeniya M
Abstract
Background: The Cochrane systematic review on mass media interventions for promoting HIV testing was chosen to track the responses through citation analysis. This Cochrane review concluded that mass media has overall and short term effects for promoting HIV testing and no long term effects.
Objective: To describe the published responses to the Cochrane systematic review on mass media interventions for promoting HIV testing.
Methods: Google Scholar and ISI Web of science were searched for citations of the systematic review on the 30th March 2007. The journal web site was searched for responses to the paper. Articles citing the review or the paper were retrieved in full. Two investigators independently read the articles. Content analysis was carried out after entering the data in to a specified form.
Results: Forty-one articles were retrieved and reviewed. The following responses were noted:

- Supporting mass media interventions for promoting HIV testing
- Mentioning the key findings with details
- Support for mass media interventions for overall HIV prevention
- Supporting the design of further research

Almost all articles supported for the review and mentioned some of the findings. Findings and conclusions were published to further support the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS by promoting HIV testing. Almost 10% of the articles were support for mass media interventions for overall HIV prevention with mention of this review. Three articles were reported on time series analysis and this was the main analysis of the review. No-one has made any comments in the Cochrane Library. No constructive criticisms were found in the other published articles.
Conclusion: The general impression is that almost all the articles supported the evidence of review findings of this review, to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic and prevention and control of HIV/AIDS worldwide by promoting HIV testing.

References: J Vidanapathirana, MJ Abramson, A Forbes, C Fairley. Mass media interventions for promoting HIV testing. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004775. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004775.pub2.