EpiC is an eight-year global initiative that provides strategic technical assistance and direct service delivery to achieve HIV epidemic control and strengthen global health security.
Written by LINKAGES’ Hally Mahler, Eric Stephan, Matthew Avery, and Virupax Ranebennur A version of this blog post was originally presented at FHI 360’s Global Leadership Meeting 2017 and USAID’s Global Health Mini-University 2017. [caption id="attachment_1286" align="alignnone" width="747"] Photos courtesy... Continue Reading
Webinar hosted by the LINKAGES project as part of the Key Populations: Evidence in Action series. To access the audio recording of the webinar, please click here. On October 5th, the USAID- and PEPFAR-supported LINKAGES project hosted the first webinar... Continue Reading
Written by LINKAGES’ Hally Mahler, Eric Stephan, Matthew Avery, and Virupax Ranebennur A version of this blog post was originally presented at FHI 360’s Global Leadership Meeting 2017 and USAID’s Global Health Mini-University 2017. Read Part I of this three-part... Continue Reading
Written by Rose Wilcher, Director, Research Utilization, FHI 360 This blog post was originally featured on FHI 360’s R&E Search for Evidence. Key populations – including men who have sex with men, sex workers, transgender people, and people who inject drugs... Continue Reading
Written by LINKAGES’ Hally Mahler, Eric Stephan, Matthew Avery, and Virupax Ranebennur A version of this blog post was originally presented at FHI 360’s Global Leadership Meeting 2017 and USAID’s Global Health Mini-University 2017. [caption id="attachment_1121" align="alignnone" width="1431"] LINKAGES Director... Continue Reading
Written by Aubrey Weber, Technical Officer, Research Utilization, FHI 360 Today marks the 14th International Day for South‒South Cooperation. This day celebrates advances made by regions and countries in the global South and highlights efforts to continue work on technical... Continue Reading
Written by Celma Pedro, Technical Officer, Positive Living, Management Sciences for Health [caption id="attachment_1067" align="aligncenter" width="682"] ASCAM FSW peer educators and HIV testing counselors join together for a focus group facilitated by Angola's Ministry of Health during the PEPFAR-GF joint... Continue Reading
Written by Tiffany Lillie, LINKAGES Senior Technical Advisor; Hally Mahler, LINKAGES Director; and Chris Akolo, Director of Global Health, Population, & Nutrition, FHI 360 [caption id="attachment_1012" align="alignright" width="406"] Hally Mahler leads one of two satellite sessions hosted by LINKAGES at... Continue Reading
Written by Matt Avery, Associate Director, Global Health, Population, & Nutrition, FHI 360 Men who have sex with men (MSM) have a greater risk of HIV infection when compared to the general population and, in many regions, MSM account for... Continue Reading
Written by Kate Stratten, Senior Program Manager, IntraHealth International This blog post was first featured on IntraHealth International’s VITAL blog. A version of this post originally appeared in The LINK: Issue 9. How we are treated by health workers can... 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.