A Systematic Review in Literature in Trends and Challenges in HIV Risk and Prevention Research in the Philippines

The Philippines is experiencing a rapid rise in HIV cases, placing it among the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the Asia-Pacific region. The epidemic disproportionately affects key populations including MSM, transgender women, sex workers, and PWID-men and women who inject drugs. The members of these groups face a number of barriers to accessing HIV prevention and treatment services, including stigma and discrimination as well as inequalities in access to healthcare across geographic regions. The objective of this systematic review is to review the trends, risk factors, barriers, and effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions in the Philippines, focusing specifically on studies published between 2000 and 2024. Utilizing the PRISMA methodology, 21 studies were identified based on relevance to HIV risk and prevention among critical populations. Thus, it shows that there is a worrying upward trend in HIV incidence, especially among PWID, with prevalence peaking at 75% in 2010 in Metro Cebu. Stigma and provider mistrust, as well as significant barriers related to access to healthcare facilities, determined low testing rates and delayed treatment. Promising interventions included rights-based education, community-led HIV care models, and HIVST, each demonstrating positive outcomes in increasing testing and treatment initiation. However, for these programs to achieve long-term effects, they must be scaled up and sustained. The results point to the urgent need for culturally relevant interventions and policy reforms that will combat stigma, ensure comparable access to services for all marginalized groups, bridge prevailing gaps in this research, including regarding young persons and the rural sector, and increase the public health response and imperative inclusive approaches to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines.