Informing priorities in the HIV response in Australia

Globally, almost 40 million people currently live with HIV infection, which remains a major public health threat. Contemporary responses to HIV have evolved substantially over the past decade. Combination HIV prevention is now the key prevention strategy, combining primary prevention strategies, such as condom and needle and syringe distribution program, with biomedical strategies such as wide spread access to treatment and viral suppression among people living with HIV and the scale up of HIV PrEP for those at risk of HIV acquisition. While Australia has been relatively successful in its HIV response, key gaps remain. The Burnet Institute HIV Elimination program takes a multifaceted approach to HIV prevention and supporting the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV. Projects suitable for Honours, Masters and PhD degrees include: - Epidemiological analyses examining the coverage and relative effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions, including HIV PrEP and HIV treatment-as-prevention. - Epidemiological, behavioural and social factors associated with HIV susceptibility among specific populations, including migrants and international students. - Surveillance of HIV-hepatitis C co-infection and evaluation of HIV-hepatitis C co-infection elimination strategies. - Exploring the role of HIV self-testing in HIV prevention responses, including the development and implementation of interventions to improve HIV self-testing coverage and support the HIV cascade of care among people who test positive using a HIV self-test. - Understanding the clinical and psycho-social needs of older people living with HIV and delivering interventions to support health ageing among people living with HIV. - Qualitative studies exploring attitudes, preferences and barriers for adopting HIV prevention strategies, as well as strategies to prevent hepatitis C infection among people living with HIV as part of a HIV-hepatitis C co-infection elimination strategy.