Huong T. Chu, Senior Project Officer, Coordination and Knowledge Rachel S. Coley, Technical Advisor & Project Manager, EpiC Vietnam Dr. Lopa Basu, Senior HIV and TB Advisor, USAID/Vietnam Featured Image: Dr. Duong Duy Khoa spoke about his own mental health... Continue Reading
EpiC Central Asia Shohin - a business student from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan – loves and cherishes his mother and likes to spend time hanging out with friends and having fun on the weekends. He has many friends, but... Continue Reading
EpiC Central Asia Amir figured knowing his HIV status was better than having to wonder, so he decided to get tested, and Ibodullo—a peer navigator from the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project—helped him get an HIV self-test... Continue Reading
EpiC Central Asia When Elena got to Ust-Kamenogorsk in East Kazakhstan, she had an HIV test at the AIDS center, where doctors advised her to contact Answer, a community-based organization supported by the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC)... Continue Reading
EpiC Central Asia Today, almost 11,000 people in the Kyrgyz Republic are living with HIV. Every year, on average, 700 people are diagnosed with HIV. A diagnosis of HIV was once presumed to be fatal, and many lived in fear... Continue Reading
Stefan Baral, Johns Hopkins University Improving the lives of people affected by HIV necessitates a re-focus on who is affected and why, and not just how many people are living with HIV. The risk and burden of HIV are not... Continue Reading
In 2014, USAID awarded FHI 360 the Linkages across the Continuum of HIV Services for Key Populations Affected by HIV (LINKAGES) project, a global cooperative agreement funded by PEPFAR and dedicated to addressing the HIV epidemic among key populations —... Continue Reading
In 2014, USAID awarded FHI 360 the Linkages across the Continuum of HIV Services for Key Populations Affected by HIV (LINKAGES) project, a global cooperative agreement funded by PEPFAR and dedicated to addressing the HIV epidemic among key populations —... Continue Reading
In 2014, USAID awarded FHI 360 the Linkages across the Continuum of HIV Services for Key Populations Affected by HIV (LINKAGES) project, a global cooperative agreement funded by PEPFAR and dedicated to addressing the HIV epidemic among key populations —... Continue Reading
This blog is managed by the EpiC project and dedicated to sharing stories, events, and resources from HIV epidemic control efforts around the world.
Assessment
A questionnaire or “screener” meant to be used with individual patients in a clinical setting to screen for, help diagnose, or monitor progress for individual mental health conditions.
Intervention
Larger packages or broader-reaching resources that describe actions or activities to be implemented. These may be appropriate for individuals, groups, and/or programs.
Anxiety
Feelings of fear, dread, and uneasiness that may occur as a reaction to stress. Anxiety can be a symptom or a feeling; it can also be a clinical diagnosis of a mental health condition.
Burnout
A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress, typically related to one’s work, that is not managed well. Burnout is considered an occupational phenomenon.
Clinical diagnoses
Mental or neuropsychiatric disorders, or disruptive, unusual, or maladaptive behaviors that have been evaluated and diagnosed by a trained medical professional.
Depression
A mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.
Disability
A physical or mental condition that limits a person’s movements, senses, or activities.
Insomnia
A sleep disorder, or disordered sleep pattern, characterized by trouble falling and/or staying asleep.
Overall well-being
The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy; judging one’s own life positively; generally, “feeling good.”
Post-traumatic stress (PTS)
A normal adaptive response to traumatic or stressful life events that can result in a wide range of distressing symptoms. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) differs from PTS and is a clinical diagnosis.
Self-efficacy
An individual’s belief in their capacity to act in the ways necessary to reach specific goals.
Self-harm/suicidality
Deliberate injury to oneself as an emotional coping mechanism, ranging from cutting oneself to suicide. Expressions of self-harm and/or suicidality are usually considered an emergency and should be assessed and managed by a trained professional.
Social support
The perception that one is cared for, has assistance available if needed, and that one is part of a supportive social network.
Stress
Any type of change to one’s internal or external environment that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. “Managing stress” is an effort to return from this state of strain or disturbance to homeostasis or well-being.
Substance abuse
Use of a substance (usually drugs or alcohol) in amounts or by methods that are harmful to oneself or others. Substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction are distinct clinical diagnoses.
Trauma
Lasting biopsychosocial and/or emotional response that often results from experiencing a terrible event such as an accident, crime, military combat, or natural disaster, or a series of chronic traumatic events like persistent abuse or neglect.
Program beneficiary
Individual who receives program services; an entire group or population may be the recipient of services.
Service provider
Individual who directly provides services to another individual, group, or population (the “program beneficiary”) through a program.