HIV AUSTRALIA 2020

HIV Australia 2020

Find on this page commissioned articles, audio interviews, and editorials about the latest in HIV, from both a local and global perspective.

Essays

There is currently a gap in research to understand the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities with respect to HIV testing, prevention strategies and support needs for people living with HIV. This gap is particularly notable given Australia has a long history of producing world leading, high quality social research relating to HIV and community-based prevention and support.

Challenges for research in improving the HIV response for culturally and linguistically diverse communities

There is currently a gap in research to understand the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities with respect to HIV testing, prevention strategies and support needs for people living with HIV. This gap is particularly notable given Australia has a long history of producing world leading, high quality social research relating to HIV and community-based prevention and support.

Young people living with HIV in contemporary Australia today receive their diagnosis in a very different context than people diagnosed in previous generations of the epidemic.

Young + Positive: Are we doing enough to support young people living with HIV?

Young people living with HIV in contemporary Australia today receive their diagnosis in a very different context than people diagnosed in previous generations of the epidemic.

How do urban Aboriginal young people foster sexual health and wellbeing for themselves and others? This is the guiding question in our research project, 'Fostering the sexual wellbeing of Aboriginal young people by building on social, cultural and personal strengths and resources'. The project purposely seeks to adopt a strengths-based approach by identifying the resources and capacities of Aboriginal young people to minimise harm and promote health.

‘What we do well’: strengths-based research about Aboriginal young people’s sexual wellbeing in Western Sydney

How do urban Aboriginal young people foster sexual health and wellbeing for themselves and others? This is the guiding question in our research project, ‘Fostering the sexual wellbeing of Aboriginal young people by building on social, cultural and personal strengths and resources’. The project purposely seeks to adopt a strengths-based approach by identifying the resources and capacities of Aboriginal young people to minimise harm and promote health.

In 2017 we started a research project investigating drug consumption among sexual and gender minorities. In particular, we were interested in the ways in which people with LGBTQ experience consume drugs to enhance or transform their experience of sex, sexuality, and/or gender.

Transforming risk, sex and the self: Making new HIV futures

In 2017 we started a research project investigating drug consumption among sexual and gender minorities. In particular, we were interested in the ways in which people with LGBTQ experience consume drugs to enhance or transform their experience of sex, sexuality, and/or gender.

Blogs

The initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic was characterised by decreases in the number of sexual partners/encounters among gay, bisexual, and queer-identifying (GBQ) men. A recent review of comments to open-ended questions about COVID-19 in an ongoing cohort study of gay and bisexual men (The Flux Study) revealed that these men were adopting a range of strategies to avoid the risk of infection.

Gay men’s strategies to avoid COVID-19 through sexual encounters

The initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic was characterised by decreases in the number of sexual partners/encounters among gay, bisexual, and queer-identifying (GBQ) men. A recent review of comments to open-ended questions about COVID-19 in an ongoing cohort study of gay and bisexual men (The Flux Study) revealed that these men were adopting a range of strategies to avoid the risk of infection.

Although there hasn’t been a huge amount of research on trends in drug consumption since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some large international surveys have suggested that  there was at least initially a decrease in consumption in places like Europe

Drug consumption in COVID times

Although there hasn’t been a huge amount of research on trends in drug consumption since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some large international surveys have suggested that there was at least initially a decrease in consumption in places like Europe

There’s a lot of resources and hope being channelled into a vaccine for COVID-19. However, what do we know about people’s willingness to take a vaccine when – or if – one becomes available?

Vaccine motivation

There’s a lot of resources and hope being channelled into a vaccine for COVID-19. However, what do we know about people’s willingness to take a vaccine when – or if – one becomes available?

The concepts of linkage to, and retention in, HIV care, have quite rightly been a focus of public health policy and health promotion, however, given that new biomedical strategies – in particular pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – have become a greater focus of HIV prevention, it is becoming increasingly important to also consider linkage to, and retention in, HIV prevention care.

A tale of two (or more) cities: Becoming disconnected from sexual-health care

The concepts of linkage to, and retention in, HIV care, have quite rightly been a focus of public health policy and health promotion, however, given that new biomedical strategies – in particular pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – have become a greater focus of HIV prevention, it is becoming increasingly important to also consider linkage to, and retention in, HIV prevention care.

Recent reports have proposed that the COVID-19 pandemic may create an opportunity to make serious inroads into the virtual elimination of HIV in certain countries, however, the pandemic is also exposing inequities in access to HIV prevention and sexual-health care – which consequently are placing people at greater rather than less risk.

COVID-19 could undermine gains in HIV prevention and sexual-health care

Recent reports have proposed that the COVID-19 pandemic may create an opportunity to make serious inroads into the virtual elimination of HIV in certain countries, however, the pandemic is also exposing inequities in access to HIV prevention and sexual-health care – which consequently are placing people at greater rather than less risk.

For AIDS2020 we reviewed qualitative data (based on a total of 101 in-depth interviews with 59 participants conducted between 2014 and 2018) from Australia to see what people said about stopping PrEP).

When reality does not live up to expectations: Anticipating when to stop PrEP

For AIDS2020 we reviewed qualitative data (based on a total of 101 in-depth interviews with 59 participants conducted between 2014 and 2018) from Australia to see what people said about stopping PrEP).

Studies from several different countries conducted over the last few months have shown how gay men have changed their sexual behaviour as a result of COVID-19.

COVID-19, sex and PrEP

Studies from several different countries conducted over the last few months have shown how gay men have changed their sexual behaviour as a result of COVID-19.

Reflecting on current discussions about COVID-19 within the HIV and LGBTQ community health sectors it’s difficult not to reflect back on the early days of the HIV epidemic, and two works in particular.

How to have history in an epidemic

Reflecting on current discussions about COVID-19 within the HIV and LGBTQ community health sectors it’s difficult not to reflect back on the early days of the HIV epidemic, and two works in particular.

Podcasts

HIV Australia Podcast

Briefing: BBVs and STIs and COVID-19 – Thursday 19 March – noon – 1pm.

Briefing: BBVs and STIs and COVID-19 – Thursday 19 March – noon – 1pm.