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Brighton & Sussex Medical School

HIV and sexual health

HIV and sexual health

The HIV and Sexual Health group conducts clinical and basic research to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of people affected by HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Our research aims to improve knowledge on Sexual Health and HIV to influence policy and improve clinical outcomes. 

Our researchers lead both local and international research programmes and collaborate on projects with European, African, South American, and Asian partners. Currently our focus is on three key themes.

Woman on an exercise machine

HIV ageing, comorbidities and the brain

HIV Ageing, comorbidities, and models of care

Increased life expectancy in people living with HIV has brought the challenges of ageing and comorbidities to HIV clinical care. Our aim is to advance knowledge and practice to improve the management of ageing people living with HIV affected by frailty and comorbidities. Our work focuses on the study of comorbidities affecting people with HIV and the development and evaluation of innovative models of care to improve the management of ageing people with HIV.

HIV and the Brain

Our research aims to understand the mechanisms associated with the development of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with HIV using brain imaging techniques and biomarkers. We also have a research interest in developing models of care and interventions to improve the quality of life of people with HIV and cognitive impairment. One such initiative is the Orange Clinic in Brighton – a specialist HIV memory service providing diagnosis and management for individuals experiences these issues.

Find out more here >

Martin Fisher Foundation Pilot Digital HIV testing Vending Machine

HIV and STD prevention and treatment

HIV treatment strategies

Until now effective treatment for HIV infection has always required daily pills containing several drugs that work to treat HIV. Recently a new type of antiretroviral therapy given by injections has been developed which allows patients to have an intramuscular injection of antiretrovirals every two to six months instead of pills. The development of long-acting injectable therapy is a potential game changer for people living with HIV, particularly those who find fastidious daily pill-taking a challenge. As one of the largest centres in the UK exploring the potential of these new medications, our research aims to inform the implementation of these new therapies on diverse populations in both high- and low-income settings using clinical trials, observational studies, implementation and qualitative research.

HIV and STDs prevention

Our research focuses on developing interventions to improve access to Sexual Health and HIV prevention using innovative approaches such as digital vending machines dispensing HIV and sexually transmitted infection test kits and mHealth pathways of care. Our team developed and evaluated for the first time a bespoke digital vending machine to deliver HIV self-tests in Brighton that won a BMJ award for Innovation in 2018. Our research on young people’s preferences for the management of sexually transmitted infections in South Africa was used by the WHO as a case study on how to integrate STI care within services offering HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (p.34).

Read more here >

Vending machines offering convenient STI testing could revolutionise sexual health

In a ground-breaking, year-long pilot programme, vending machines dispensing self-test kits for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have proven to be an effective and widely accepted means of reaching individuals who rarely or never get tested. The results of the pilot, published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, suggest that these machines should be integrated into the digital landscape of sexual health services. 

Read more here >

CORAL study

The CORAL Study (Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine Real World Experience) aims to increase understanding of the uptake, delivery and effectiveness of injectable HIV treatment, by collecting real world data on the use of injectable 2-monthly long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine in NHS clinics across the UK.

Read more here >

Presenter showing graphical data at the Africa Health Research Institute conference

HIV and climate change

Climate change and health

The environmental consequences of multiple facets of climate change such as sea-level rise, increasing temperatures, more extreme weather events (EWEs) impact human health and lives. The health risks associated with such EWEs will continue to be distributed inequitably, with vulnerable populations and regions affected differently. Our research focusses on the impact of climate hazards on the health of specific population sub-groups such as those with pre-existing health conditions.

Current research

 

 Title
  Local contact

 HIV treatment strategies

  

 CORAL: Cabotegravir & rilpivirine real world experience

 Dr Fiona Creswell

 E: F.Cresswell@bsms.ac.uk

 ACACIA: Acceptability, and impact on health-related
 quality of life of long-acting cabotegravir & rilpivirine in
 people with HIV and cognitive impairment

  

 Dr Katie Alford:

 E: K.Alford3@bsms.ac.uk
 LEAP: Exploring perceptions, barriers, facilitators and unmet   need for injectable lenacapavir in the management of HIV  

 Dr Katie Alford:

 E: K.Alford3@bsms.ac.uk

 Ageing, comorbidities and models of care

  

 SILVER: Testing the feasibility and acceptability of
 case-finding and subsequent comprehensive geriatric   assessment intervention for older people with HIV with
 frailty

  

 Natalie St Clair-Sullivan

 E: N.StClair-Sullivan@bsms.ac.uk

 QTUG: Acceptability and feasibility of digital
 assessment of falls risk, frailty and mobility impairment using   wearable sensors in people with HIV as part of HIV care

  

 Dr Claire Norcross

 E: c.norcross@nhs.net

 Developing capacity for research, innovation and knowledge   exchange in HIV and non-communicable diseases between   Southern-Ethiopia and the UK

  

 Prof Jaime Vera

 E: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk

 HIV and the brain

  

 BIC CNS: Brain connectivity and patient reported outcomes
 in people with HIV with symptoms of insomnia switching   integrase inhibitor-based ART

 Dr Katie Alford:

 E: K.Alford3@bsms.ac.uk

 INSIDE: Imaging Neuroinflammation in Persistent
 Depression Amongst People Living with HIV
 (INSIDE-HIV)

  

 Arish Mudra

 E:Arish.MudraRakshasa@ed.ac.uk

 UPLIFT: Understanding Priorities for improving quality
 of lIfe in people with HIV and cognitive impairment 

  

 Dr Katie Alford:

 E: K.Alford3@bsms.ac.uk

 HIV and STDs prevention

  

 Development of a mHealth pathway to expand and
 enhance comprehensive sexual and reproductive health
 services for young people in Zambia

 Prof Jaime Vera

 E: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk 

 Acceptability and feasibility of electronic vending machines for   delivering HIV self-testing and STI self-sampling kits: a mixed   methods study.

  

 Prof Jaime Vera

 E: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk

 Developing capacity for research, innovation and knowledge   exchange in HIV between Colombia and the UK

  

 Prof Jaime Vera

 E: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk
 

 Health systems analysis and evaluations of the barriers to     availability, utilisation and readiness of selected sexual and   reproductive health services in COVID-19 affected areas

  

 Prof Jaime Vera

 E: j.vera@bsms.ac.uk

 Climate change and Health

  
 Drought, Poverty and HIV Drug Resistance: threat to
 resilience in a vulnerable rural setting		  

 Prof Collins Iwuji

 E: c.iwuji@bsms.ac.uk

 Health system resilience in contexts of climate and
 environmental shocks in rural South Africa: Exploring
 hardware and software issues in a rural setting

  

 Dr Kingsley Orievulu

 E: Kingsley.Orievulu@ahri.org

Publications

Gobin M, Dhillon S, Kesten JM, et alAcceptability of digital vending machines to access STI and HIV tests in two UK citiesSexually Transmitted Infections Published Online First: 01 February 2024. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2023-055969

Driscoll, Sarah Jane; Fidler, Katy J; Shears, Annalie; Whetham, Jennifer; White, Ann (2022) Sexually transmitted infections in suspected child sexual abuse  Archives of Disease in Childhood , England pp. 1-3. ISSN 0003-9888.

Baisley, Kathy; Orne-Gliemann, Joanna; Larmarange, Joseph; Plazy, Melanie; Collier, Dami; Dreyer, Jaco; Mngomezulu, Thobeka; Herbst, Kobus; Hanekom, Willem; Dabis, Francois; and 1 other(s) (2022) Treat-all strategy and long-term survival among people living with HIV in South Africa: results after 6 years of observation in the ANRS 12249 treatment as prevention trial  HIV Medicine  pp. 1-7. ISSN 1464-2662.

Wenlock, Rhys D; Brown, Colin S; Iwuji, Collins; Vera, Jaime H (2021) Can I go back to work? A case of persistent SARS-CoV-2 with advanced untreated HIV infection  International Journal of STD & AIDS , 33 (2). pp. 209-211. ISSN 0956-4624.

Beck, E J; Mandalia, S; Yfantopoulos, P; Jones, C I; Bremner, S; Fatz, D; Vera, J; Whetham, J (2022) The efficiency of the EmERGE pathway of care for people living with HIV in England  AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV , England pp. 1-10. ISSN 0954-0121.

Alford, Katie; Daley, Stephanie; Banerjee, Sube; Hamlyn, Elizabeth; Trotman, Daniel; Vera, Jaime H (2022) “A fog that impacts everything”: a qualitative study of health-related quality of life in people living with HIV who have cognitive impairment  Quality of Life Research  ISSN 0962-9343.

Villa, Giovanni; Garcia Rodriguez, Diego; Fray, David; Clarke, Amanda; Ackley, Caroline (2022) Qualitative study exploring the experiences and perceptions of dolutegravir/lamivudine dual antiretroviral therapy (the PEDAL study) in people living with HIV: protocol  BMJ Open , England, 12 (5). pp. e056414. ISSN 2044-6055.

Hussain, Ahmed; Ali, Khalid; Parekh, Nikesh; Stevenson, Jennifer M; Davies, J Graham; Bremner, Stephen; Rajkumar, Chakravarthi; PRIME study group,  (2022) Characterising older adults’ risk of harm from blood-pressure lowering medications: a sub-analysis from the PRIME study  Age and Ageing , 51 (3). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0002-0729.

Richters, Juliet; Yeung, Anna; Rissel, Chris; McGeechan, Kevin; Caruana, Theresa; De Visser, Richard (2022) Sexual difficulties, problems, and help-seeking in a national representative sample: the second Australian study of health and relationships  Archives of Sexual Behavior  ISSN 0004-0002.

Beck, E J; Mandalia, S; Yfantopoulos, P; Jones, C I; Bremner, S; Fatz, D; Vera, J; Whetham, J (2022) The efficiency of the EmERGE pathway of care for people living with HIV in England  AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV , England pp. 1-10. ISSN 0954-0121.

View the full departmental publication list  >