PLOS global public health最新文献

{"title":"Levels, severity, and determinants of stunting in children 0-59 months in Afghanistan: Secondary analysis of Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2022-23.","authors":"William Joe, Atma Prakash, Said M Yaqoob Azimi, Melanie Galvin, Zivai Murira, Gustavo Nicolas Paez Salamanca, Vani Sethi","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004423","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004423","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Childhood stunting is a critical nutritional concern for Afghanistan. Prioritizing development assistance toward child nutrition requires recent estimates on child stunting and timely insights on determinants at national and sub-national levels. This study addresses this gap by estimating the prevalence and determinants of stunting and severe stunting in children under-five using the latest publically available data. The recent wave of Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2022-23) was analyzed to estimate the prevalence of stunting (height-for-age Z-score <-2SD) and severe stunting (<-3SD) by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The predictors of stunting and severe stunting outcomes were examined using multivariate logistic regression analyses with four domains of independent variables - child, maternal, and household characteristics and complementary feeding practices. In Afghanistan, 44·5% of children were stunted and 21.6% were severely stunted. The southern region has the highest burden of stunting (55%). Under-five females were less likely to be stunted than males [OR 0·89, 95% CI (0·84, 0·95)]. The likelihood of stunting increased with age of the child. Lack of maternal education, lower wealth quintiles, no exposure of the mother to mass media, and poor dietary diversity were the key predictors of stunting. Determinants of severe stunting mirrored those of stunting, with the additional risk for 24-59 months age group and higher birth order. Socioeconomic status, maternal education, child age, birth order, dietary practices, and geographical location were key determinants of stunting. Targeted interventions addressing poverty, education for women, family planning, and improved nutrition are crucial to reducing childhood stunting in Afghanistan.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004423"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143812559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strategies to build trust in the conduct of clinical trials: Stakeholders' views in a qualitative study in Ghana.","authors":"Samuel Tamti Chatio, John Kuumuori Ganle, Philip Baba Adongo, Patrick Odum Ansah, Engelbert A Nonterah, Nathan Kumasenu Mensah, James Akazili, Ulrike Beisel","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0003201","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003201","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While clinical trials have evolved and improved over time producing significant advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases, there are equally key challenges such as feasibility of some clinical trials and most importantly the issue of trust in the conduct of clinical trials. Thus, this study provides scientific evidence to address challenges associated with clinical trials conduct as well as a framework describing appropriate trust building strategies to guide the conduct of future clinical trial studies in Ghana and beyond. The study used qualitative research approach where 48 in-depth and Key informant interviews were conducted with participants between June and August, 2019. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded into themes using QSR Nvivo 12 software before thematic content analysis. The results revealed low level of trust in the conduct of clinical trials in Ghana. Participants recommended several trust building strategies to improve trust across the clinical trial cycle. Pre-implementation strategies such as effective stakeholder engagement and strengthening clinical trial regulatory bodies were recommended to build community trust. Implementation strategies such as effective monitoring, addressing issues of untrustworthiness and misconceptions regarding drawing and use of blood samples, improved informed consent procedures as well as post-implementation strategy such as timely feedback to clinical trial communities were highly recommended to build trust in clinical trials conduct. Trust is an important factor affecting clinical trials conduct especially in developing countries. The need to invest in national and community level trust-building activities through appropriate stakeholder engagement and effective monitoring systems by clinical trial regulatory bodies are critical strategies to improve trust in clinical trials conduct.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0003201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143812921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effectiveness of community engagement using M-Mama champions in improving awareness of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Bahi, Dodoma: A cluster randomized pragmatic implementation trial.","authors":"Alex Sanga, Stephen Kibusi, James Tumaini Kengia","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004315","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Maternal mortality remains a catastrophic condition for reproductive-age women in Tanzania. Inadequate ANC visits impair the efficiency of education programs for pregnant women on obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness and complication readiness, hence negatively influencing health behaviour and decision-making processes, contributing to maternal mortality. In this case, a complementary health education intervention for pregnant women in the community is necessary. M-MAMA Champions were introduced to determine their effectiveness in creating awareness of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness complication readiness and their practice to complement the health system.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A parallel arms, cluster-randomized pragmatic implementation trial, whereby pregnant women were recruited from four clusters and randomised at a ratio of 1:1. M-MAMA Champions empowered pregnant women with obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness and complication readiness in addition to standard care. Difference-in-difference analysis determined the intervention's effect.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The majority of 124 pregnant women recruited from intervention (N = 60) and control (N = 64) arms, were aged 16 to 19, 31.3% (n = 20) vs 20 to 24, 35.0% (n = 21) and had primary education 48.4% (n = 31) vs 51.7% (n = 31) in the control and intervention arms respectively. Awareness of Obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness complication readiness and their practice improved significantly by 64.2%, (P < 0.0001), 26.3%, (P = 0.00190 and 33.9%, (P = 0.0006) respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>M-MAMA Champions, the facilitators of women groups in community engagement are effective in improving awareness of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women. It's, therefore worth an adoption for wider application.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>NCT06325319 (Effect of Community Engagement Using M-Mama Champions), registered on 15th March 2024.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004315"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143812925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extended breastfeeding for over one year is associated with a higher likelihood of underweight and stunting among children under 3 years of age in Ethiopia, EDHS from 2000-2019.","authors":"Maleda Tefera, Haymanot Mezmur","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004236","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004236","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented various strategies to combat undernutrition in developing countries, with one of the most common recommendations being to breastfeed for two years or beyond. This is based on the belief that breast milk provides essential nutrition for growth and development, particularly in low-income settings. However, insufficient research explores the relationship between breastfeeding duration and undernutrition..The Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2000-2019 was used to perform the study, which included 18,580, children aged three and under. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between undernutrition status and independent variables, including breastfeeding duration. The strength of the association was assessed using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The overall prevalence of undernutrition among children under 3 years of age was 51.8% (95% CI: 51.10, 52.54). Specifically, the prevalence of stunting was 42.9% (95% CI: 42.14, 43.56), followed by underweight at 30.28% (95% CI: 29.63, 30.92), and wasting at 13.84% (95% CI: 13.35, 12.04).Children breastfed into their third year of life were more likely to develop underweight (AOR: 1.55; 95% CI 1.41, 1.70) and stunting (AOR: 5.45; 95% CI 4.83, 6.15). Conversely, the likelihood of wasting decreased in children breastfeeding in their second and third year of life (AOR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.67, 0.83) and (AOR: 0.50; 95% CI 0.43, 0.60) respectively. Similarly, children who breastfed until the second year of life had a greater chance of underweight and stunting. This study highlights a significant prevalence of undernutrition among children. Children breastfed into their third year of life were more likely to experience underweight and stunting, while breastfeeding during this period was associated with a lower likelihood of wasting.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004236"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing capacities in genomic surveillance capabilities for SARS-CoV-2 and dengue virus: A South-South collaborative partnership.","authors":"Sully Márquez, Gerald Vasquez-Aleman, Jose G Juarez, Cristhiam Cerpas, Paul Cardenas, Shannon Bennett, Angel Balmaseda, Eva Harris, Josefina Coloma","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004365","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004365","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Latin American countries have faced limited access to new scientific technologies for many years due to restricted budgets for research programs, which has hindered local scientific development. These research disparities became especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, as lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) like Ecuador and Nicaragua had restricted access to genomic surveillance protocols, sequencing technologies, and adequate infrastructure, compromising global pandemic preparedness and response. In response to the urgent need for SARS-CoV-2 research capabilities in these countries, the Asian-American Center for Arbovirus Research and Enhanced Surveillance led the initiative, collaborating with the NGO Sustainable Sciences Institute and LMIC stakeholders, including universities and Ministries of Health, to develop pandemic-related research programs, provide resources, and conduct peer training workshops for local health scientists. Over the past five years, collaborative efforts have enabled teams in Ecuador and Nicaragua to establish sustainable research capacity and technology-sharing initiatives, as showcased by the institutionalization of government-led genomic surveillance efforts. This has opened new research opportunities in genomic surveillance for other emerging and reemerging pathogens and strengthening South-South collaboration.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004365"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infectious diseases burden and antibiotic prescribing patterns among primary care patients in Harare, Zimbabwe - a cross-sectional analysis.","authors":"Ioana D Olaru, Rudo M S Chingono, Fadzaishe Mhino, Celia Gregson, Christian Bottomley, Tsitsi Bandason, Chipo E Mpandaguta, Karlos Madziva, Rashida A Ferrand, Michael Vere, Prosper Chonzi, Shungu Munyati, Justin Dixon, Thomas C Darton, Katharina Kranzer","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004442","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) continue to experience a high burden of infectious diseases and disparities in access to and use of antimicrobials, yet data on antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings, where the majority of global prescriptions occur, remain scarce. The objective of this study is to provide data on diagnoses and antibiotic prescriptions among primary care patients in Harare, Zimbabwe. We conducted a retrospective study of medical records from eight primary care clinics in Harare, Zimbabwe. Clinics were selected based on the population they served and the availability of records. Patient consultations conducted between January 2016 and December 2022 were included. Antibiotic prescriptions were categorised into groups according to the AWaRe (Access, Watch and Reserve) classification. During the study period, 199,880 patient consultations were recorded. The median patient age was 9 years and 52.5% (105,035/199,880) were female. The most common causes of presentation were due to infectious diseases including, in order of frequency, gastroenteritis (15.2%; 30,352/199,880), acute respiratory infections (10.9%; 21,381/199,880) and pneumonia (10.5%; 20,889/199,880). Overall, antibiotics were prescribed in 70.5% (117,674/166,858) of patients who were not referred to hospital. Antibiotics commonly prescribed were amoxicillin (39.4%; 65,825/166,858), ciprofloxacin (10.3%; 17,162/166,858), metronidazole (9.4%; 15,681/166,858). Among those who were prescribed antibiotics and not referred, 70.6% (83,034/117,674) were prescribed 'Access' and 29.3% (34,472/117,674) 'Watch' group antibiotics. Patients with respiratory infections, including those with upper respiratory infections, and gastroenteritis were frequently prescribed antibiotics. This study shows that infectious diseases remain a common reason for primary care presentation and antibiotics were frequently prescribed. These findings highlight the need for increasing access to diagnostics in primary care, and for antibiotic stewardship and other context-adapted interventions aimed at optimising patient management and reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004442"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nurturing care as a critical buffer against climate change impacts on child development.","authors":"Jorge Cuartas, Francis Vergunst","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004441","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We examine empirical and conceptual considerations related to the role of nurturing care for protecting human capital formation in the context of climate change. Climate change is a pressing global challenge. Heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and floods are becoming more frequent and severe, and their direct impact and aftermath can have long-lasting negative effects on employment, education, healthcare, and access to essential services. Children are particularly vulnerable to these harms due to their developmental immaturity and limited capacity to mitigate and avoid risks [1,2]. Consequently, parents and other adult primary caregivers - such as grandparents, relatives, and foster parents (hereafter \"caregivers\") - provide the primary buffer between climate hazards and adverse developmental outcomes. They do this through nurturing care, defined as the provision of stable environments that promote children's health and nutrition, safety and security, opportunities for learning, and emotionally supportive relationships [3]. Despite the central role of nurturing care for children's life outcomes, it rarely appears in climate change research and policy discourse.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004441"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143812619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A qualitative study on behavioral and social drivers of COVID-19 vaccine amongst refugees and migrants in Pakistan.","authors":"Zahra Ali Padhani, Maryam Hameed Khan, Rahima Yasin, Abdu R Rahman, Sohail Lakhani, Mushtaq Mirani, Muhammad Khan Jamali, Zahid Ali Khan, Sana Khatoon, Riya Partab, Atta Ul Haq, Vinay Kampalath, Seyed-Moeen Hosseinalipour, Karl Blanchet, Jai K Das","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004444","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Migrants and refugees are among the most disadvantaged populations, with limited evidence on the access and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among them. Therefore this qualitative study explores the behavioral and social drivers of the COVID-19 vaccine among the refugee and migrant population in Pakistan through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with regular and irregular migrants and refugees residing in Pakistan. Key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders responsible for overlooking the COVID-19 vaccination process. A total of 18 participants were interviewed to gather insights on COVID-19 vaccine access, uptake, and behaviours among migrants and refugees. Data was collection from June to July 2022, in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Quetta. All the interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, translated, and thematically analysed on Nvivo software. The study found that refugee and migrant communities in Pakistan faced significant challenges to COVID-19 vaccination uptake, with barriers including misconceptions about vaccine safety and efficacy, fears of side effects, and mistrust spread by religious leaders. Participants were refused vaccinations at many centers despite government directives allowing vaccines for those without Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC). Limited outreach and awareness efforts from the government, fears of identification and deportation, long wait times at vaccination centers, and the absence of female vaccinators in communities with strict gender norms further hindered access. Many participants also reported being charged for vaccination leading to lower vaccine coverage. Despite these challenges, some individuals were motivated to vaccinate due to workplace requirements, peer influence, or personal health concerns. Facilitators included door-to-door vaccination campaigns and school vaccination mandates. Vaccination camps set up by NGOs and government agencies at border areas and migrant-rich districts facilitated access. The study suggests targeted strategies to improve vaccination coverage, including provision of identification documents to migrants, inclusion in policy, and enforcement of multilingual communication to improve healthcare access.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004444"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in the prevalence of the common risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Uganda between 2014 and 2023: Informed by nationally representative cross-sectional surveys.","authors":"Ronald Kusolo, Gerald N Mutungi, Mary Mbuliro, Richard Kajjura, Ronald Wesonga, Silver K Bahendeka, David Guwatudde","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0003755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0003755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the biggest contributor to global mortality. An important way to control NCDs is to focus on reducing the prevalence of the common NCD risk factors for better NCD prevention planning. Uganda conducted its first nationally representative NCD risk factor survey in 2014, and a second in 2023. We analyzed the prevalence of the common NCD risk factors to assess changes in these between 2014 and 2023. Both surveys drew countrywide samples, and the World Health Organization's STEPS tool was used to collect the data. We calculated weighted prevalence of the following NCD risk factors: high blood pressure, high blood glucose, overweight and obesity, current alcohol consumption, current tobacco use, inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables, inadequate physical activity, and sedentariness. The 2014 survey enrolled 3987 participants, whereas the 2023 survey enrolled 3694. The risk factor prevalences that increased significantly were: high blood glucose from 1.5% in 2014 to 3.3% in 2023 (p< 0.001); overweight and obesity from 19.3% in 2014 to 24.1% in 2023 (p< 0.001); current alcohol consumption from 28.5% in 2014 to 31.1% in 2023 (p=0.013); and sedentariness from 26.6% in 2014 to 31.9% in 2023 (p< 0.001). The risk factor prevalences that decreased significantly were: inadequate physical activity from 5.0% in 2014 to 3.6% in 2023 (p=0.003), and current smoke tobacco use from 9.6% in 2014, to 8.3% in 2023 (p= 0.046). No significant changes were observed in the prevalence of high blood pressure from 24.6% in 2014 to 25.4% in 2023 (p= 0.418), and inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables from 87.8% in 2014 to 86.4% in 2023 (p=0.067). There is an urgent need for various stakeholders in Uganda to implement interventions targeting reduction in the prevalence of NCD risk factors to prevent the increasing burden of NCDs and associated mortality.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0003755"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In danger: HIV vaccine research and development in Europe.","authors":"Roger Tatoud, Yves Lévy, Roger Le Grand, Jose Alcami, Giorgio Barbareschi, Christian Brander, Andrea Cara, Behazine Combadière, François Dabis, Sarah Fidler, Tomáš Hanke, Carolina Herrera, Gunilla B Karlsson Hedestam, Hester Kuipers, Sheena McCormack, Christiane Moog, Giuseppe Pantaleo, Laura Richert, Rogier W Sanders, Robin Shattock, Hendrik Streeck, Rodolphe Thiebaut, Alexandra Trkola, Klaus Üeberla, Marit J Van Gills, Ralf Wagner, Winfried Weissenhorn, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Gabriella Scarlatti, Jean Daniel Lelièvre","doi":"10.1371/journal.pgph.0004364","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004364","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Highly effective antiretroviral-based HIV prevention plays an important role in ending the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, the sustainable control of the epidemic is hampered by unequal access to prevention options, including HIV testing, alongside with drug resistance and ongoing barriers to accessing sustainable HIV treatment. Therefore, an HIV vaccine, combined with effective prevention and treatment, remains an absolute necessity to control the epidemic. Yet, the recent discontinuation of four major vaccine efficacy studies is raising concerns about the future of HIV vaccine research and development globally, and particularly in the European region where funding for vaccine research and development has shrinked. This viewpoint emphasises that supporting HIV vaccine research and development at the European level remains crucial: it is not only necessary to control the epidemic, but it promotes innovation, strengthens health security, epidemic preparedness, and health sovereignty while contributing to the economies of European nations.</p>","PeriodicalId":74466,"journal":{"name":"PLOS global public health","volume":"5 4","pages":"e0004364"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}