A humanitarian crisis is defined as an event or series of events that seriously threaten the health, safety, and well-being of a community or large group of people. Examples of such events include natural disasters or environmental events, wars, economic and political crises, other displacements or forced migrations. Humanitarian crises have affected historic numbers of people worldwide in recent years, and are threatening the global progress on HIV/AIDS (image source: UNAIDS Gap Report 2014).
The Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) launched a new initiative in fall 2020 to convene a series of symposia and research activities focused on "HIV/AIDS in Humanitarian Crises". Supported by CIRA and the Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Memorial Fund from the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University, the overarching goals of the program are to:
- Identify research questions related to the well-being of people with HIV or at risk for HIV and affected by humanitarian crises
- Create a network of scientists, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders to work together on research and other relevant activities.
Team members:
- Kaveh Khoshnood, PhD, MPH (faculty co-lead)
- Luke Davis, MD, MAS (faculty co-lead)
- Dini Harsono, MSc (program director)
- Hanna Peterson (MPH '22, graduate research assistant)
- Swarali Atre (MPH '23, graduate research assistant)
- Winnie Ho (MPH '23, graduate research assistant)
- Dina Garmroudi (undergraduate research assistant)
- Jax Jin (undergraduate research assistant).
For questions about this program or to join the program's mailing list, contact Dini Harsono (dini.harsono@yale.edu).
2020 World AIDS Day Symposium: "Addressing HIV/AIDS in Humanitarian Crises: Perspectives from Lebanon"
December 7, 2020
- Watch on YouTube
- Symposium highlights (infographic)
- Symposium program
- Opening remarks
- Adeeba Kamarulzaman, University of Malaya - presentation slides
- Robert Heimer, Yale School of Public Health - presentation slides
- Kaveh Khoshnood, Yale School of Public Health - presentation slides
CIRA@Yale Symposium "Addressing HIV/AIDS, Mental Health, and Substance Use in Humanitarian Settings"
April 4, 2022
- Watch on YouTube
- Symposium highlights (infographic)
- Symposium program
- Opening remarks
- Holly Campbell-Rosen, National Institute of Mental Health - presentation slides
- Blythe Beecroft, Fogarty International Center - presentation slides
- Jeremy Kane, Columbia University - presentation slides
- Kelli O'Laughlin, University of Washington - presentation slides
- Aniyizhai Annamalai, Yale Refugee Health Program - presentation slides
- Fereshteh Ganjavi, Elena's Light - presentation slides
CIRA@Yale Panel: “Ethics of HIV/AIDS-related Research and Practice in Humanitarian Settings”
April 18, 2022
- Watch on YouTube
- Panel highlights (infographic)
- Panel program
CIRA@Yale Workshop: “Ethical Considerations for HIV/AIDS Research in Humanitarian Settings“
May 19, 2022
Other Initiatives
- A scoping review of evidence on HIV risk and vulnerabilities in the context of humanitarian crises.
- Protocol: Harsono D, Peterson H, Nyhan K, Khoshnood K. Factors associated with HIV acquisition in the context of humanitarian crises: a scoping review protocol. JBI Evid Synth. 2022 Mar 4. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-21-00135.
- Scoping review paper is forthcoming.
- HIV/AIDS in Humanitarian Crises newsletter that highlights pertinent research news, events, publications, resources, and opportunities.
- A Zotero electronic library that serves as a working repository available to the public with links to event slides, recordings, references, and other resources that support the conduct of HIV-related research and practice in humanitarian settings.
- A review of ethical considerations in conducting HIV-related research in humanitarian settings.
- Discussion of emerging issues and funding opportunities to support interdisciplinary research addressing HIV and associated comorbidities in humanitarian settings.
