- Optimising the Implementation of Opt-Out Blood-Borne Virus Testing in Emergency DepartmentsBy Dr Tom May, Research Fellow, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science & Evaluation, University of BristolIntroductionThere are still significant gaps in identifying and treating people with bloodborne viruses (BBVs) like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Many people who don't test in traditional places like sexual health clinics may miss out on early diagnosis and treatment, which is important for preventing health problems and stopping the spread of these viruses.To increase access to BBV testing, NHS England introduced routine opt-out testing for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in […]
- Reflections on 5 years of the HPRU Knowledge Mobilisation Network By Dr Clare Thomas, Research Fellow and Knowledge Mobilisation Co-LeadHow it all began It was a chilly January day in 2020 when I attended the launch meeting for the newly funded Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Behavioural Science and Evaluation. For the HPRU 2 funding round, the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) required each HPRU to identify a lead for knowledge mobilisation (KM). Ours was Dr Lesley Wye, an experienced and influential figure in the field of KM, and I was her apprentice, ready to […]
- Stigma is a key barrier to mpox health measures in gay and bisexual menIn May 2022, cases of mpox (a virus normally found in west and central Africa) started to appear internationally. By December 2022 there were 3,732 confirmed and highly probable cases in the UK. The mpox outbreak disproportionately affected gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and it was essential that information on the outbreak got to these groups without generating stigma. In response to the outbreak, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) encouraged people to adopt mitigation measures such as vaccination, self-isolation and […]
