The focus of the WRHI's work has always been to address the needs associated with prevention and management of HIV and reproductive health, with a focus on the intersection with infectious diseases especially tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The WRHI's work is guided by six broad themes, with focus areas in each. They are as follows:
Health Systems Strengthening including Integration of Services
- Integration of Health Services
- Integration of Reproductive Health and HIV Services
- Integration of TB and HIV Services
- Supporting Decentralised Models of HIV care within the Public Health Sector
- Strengthening Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission Services
- Strengthening Treatment of Paediatric HIV
- Understanding patient responses
- Evaluation of training
Clinical and Basic Science Research to improve patient management
HIV clinical research agenda including opportunistic infections
TB clinical research agenda
Contraception research agenda
Understanding and responding to the drivers of the HIV epidemic
- Structural interventions
- Biological factors associated with increased incidence
- Barrier methods and male circumcision
- Microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis
- Using treatment for prevention
- Positive prevention
- Alcohol and HIV
Understanding the interactions between sexually transmitted infections, HIV and reproductive health outcomes
- Impact of co-infections on HIV disease progression
- Impact of hormonal contraception on disease progression
- Interface between HIV and sexually transmitted infections
- Human Papilloma Virus and HIV
- Bacterial vaginosis and HIV
- STIs and HIV shedding
- Impact of HIV on fertility and pregnancy outcomes
Strengthening research capacity to evaluate new technologies and to inform current and future health service delivery
Future designs for HIV prevention studies
Treatment access following studies
Modelling impact of new technologies
Social engagement and change
The social life of HIV prevention trials
Communicating research results
Understanding the pathways by which research may influence policy