Abstract
BACKGROUND: eHealth has proven effective in changing health-related behaviors and overcoming barriers to HIV care. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to review the effect of eHealth on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in international databases without a time limit until August 2024 to identify studies evaluating the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for PrEP among key populations. This search strategy used a combination of keywords related to "eHealth", "HIV", and "pre-exposure prophylaxis". A random effects model was used to compute the pooled measure of association (relative risk). The results were combined using a random-effects model for meta-analysis. The I(2) index was also used to measure heterogeneity between the studies. RESULTS: Twelve articles involving 3,578 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The findings showed that using websites had a positive effect on PrEP (RR=1.90, 95% CI: 1.30-2.79). Moreover, e-health interventions had the greatest effect on PrEP uptake among female sex workers (FSWs) (RR=2.27, 95% CI: 1.62-3.17). Furthermore, e-health demonstrated a notable effect on PrEP uptake (RR=1.90, 95% CI: 1.30-2.79), particularly in studies with follow-up less than six months (RR=1.85, 95% CI: 1.19-2.09). Additionally, studies conducted in the United States reported the most significant effect of e-health on PrEP (RR= 1.71, 95% CI: 1.38-2.11; I(2) = 0.41%). CONCLUSION: eHealth interventions have the potential to improve the effectiveness of PrEP among key populations. Integrating e-health interventions with comprehensive healthcare services and providing continuous support can improve PrEP uptake, adherence, and retention in the future.