Local health departments (LHDs) are increasingly advancing syndemic approaches to address the intersecting epidemics of STIs, HIV, viral hepatitis, and related health and social conditions. However, current reporting systems and metrics are often siloed by disease area and funding stream, making it difficult to capture the integrated, longitudinal, and relationship-based nature of this work.
This issue brief explores challenges LHDs face in documenting and evaluating syndemic approaches, including duplicative reporting requirements, fragmented data systems, and metrics that may not capture the relationship-building, coordination, and sustained engagement that support better health outcomes or show whether services are reaching communities most impacted by the syndemic. Drawing on facilitated discussions with LHDs, the brief highlights opportunities to strengthen syndemic metrics through aligned reporting requirements, interoperable data systems, qualitative and narrative reporting, and more patient-centered evaluation approaches.
Access the brief, What We’re Missing: Challenges and Opportunities in Measuring Syndemic Approaches at Local Health Departments, here.
