Description:
Background: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy tasks CDC to extend access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to reduce HIV incidence in the US. DHAP will also introduce pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should trials soon show substantial efficacy and safety as expected. Effective use of biomedical HIV prevention requires that clinicians and other potential users have means readily available to learn about them and the guidelines for their use, and to identify accessible sources for provision of them. Mobile devices (e.g., smart phones) and desktop applications are commonly used to find information quickly as needed. According to one recent survey, 1 in 6 mobile subscribers own a smart phone. The ability to rapidly update information on these “apps” is more efficient than notifying users to access websites or paper forms. A cross-platform desktop/smartphone app could provide an important new method of transferring PEP and PrEP information to clinicians, public health staff, and potential users in near real-time mode. One state health department provided a PEP widget for download to emergency room desktops across the state www.ceiwidget.com, to ensure ready clinician access to guidance and materials (e.g., consent forms). The next step would be to extend this approach to provide a nationally available resource for additional topics (e.g., PrEP), audiences (e.g., potential users and referral providers), delivery modes (e.g., smart phones), and features (e.g., zip code lookup of service providers).
Public Health Impact: A cross-platform desktop/smartphone application would allow for more rapid update and dissemination of HIV prevention information to clinicians, and public health staff.
Examples of specific research areas of interest include, but are not limited to: Develop a cross-platform widget architecture, which can be rapidly modified to add emerging topics and updated materials to provide a method of transferring PEP and PrEP information to clinicians, public health staff, and potential users in near real-time mode. The development of this cross-platform “widget” architecture initially should include three biomedical HIV prevention methods (e.g., PEP, PrEP, prevention of mother-to-child transmission). Future additions could include other clinical prevention activities such as viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases.
For NCHHSTP programmatic information, contact:
Ms. Barbara Stewart
Deputy Director, Extramural Research Program Office
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Mail Stop E-60
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
404-498-2270
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:bstewart@cdc.gov"bstewart@cdc.gov
For grants specific information, contact:
Roslyn Curington
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Procurement and Grants Office
1600 Clifton Road
Mail Stop E-15
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
770-488-2832
Email: HYPERLINK "mailto:rcurington@cdc.gov"rcurington@cdc.gov
