title: Strategic information is everyone's business: perspectives from an international stakeholder meeting to enhance strategic information data along the HIV Cascade for people who inject drugs.
abstract: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased HIV transmission risk because of unsafe injecting practices and a host of other individual, network, and structural factors. Thus, PWID have a great need for services within the Cascade of HIV prevention, diagnosis, care, and treatment (HIV Cascade). Yet the systems that monitor their progress through the Cascade are often lacking. Subsequently, fewer reliable data are available to guide programs targeting this key population (KP). Programmatic data, which are helpful in tracking PWID through the Cascade, also are limited because not all countries have harm reduction programming from which to estimate Cascade indicators. Also, due to stigma and the illegal nature of drug use, PWID may not disclose their drug use behavior or HIV status when accessing services. Consequently, PWID appear to have low HIV testing rates and, for those living with HIV, lower access to health services and lower viral suppression rates than do other KP groups. This commentary, based on outcomes from an international stakeholder meeting, identifies data gaps and proposes solutions to strengthen strategic information (SI), the systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of information, to optimize HIV prevention, care, and treatment programming for PWID.
authors.affiliation: , 85 Sukhumvit Soi 13, #5B, Bangkok, Thailand. 3rdrichard@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Pierce
authors.affiliation: FHI 360, 359 Blackwell Street, Suite 200, Durham, NC, 27701, USA. jhegle@fhi360.org.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hegle
authors.affiliation: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 20, Avenue Appia, Geneva, 27, Switzerland. sabink@unaids.org.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sabin
authors.affiliation: Persaudaraan Korban Napza Indonesia (PKNI)/Indonesian Drug User Network, Jalan Tebet Timur Dalam XI No. 94 Tebet, Jakarta Selatan, 12820, Indonesia. kornas@pkni.org.
authors.forename: Edo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agustian
authors.affiliation: , 64 Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam, SC1012, Netherlands. Lsjohnston.global@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lisa G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.affiliation: FHI 360 Asia-Pacific Regional Office, 19th floor, Sindhorn Building, 130-132 Wittayu Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. smills@fhi360.org.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.affiliation: FHI 360 Asia-Pacific Regional Office, 19th floor, Sindhorn Building, 130-132 Wittayu Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. ctodd@fhi360.org.
authors.forename: Catherine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control; D040261:Harm Reduction; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013785:Thailand