NACCHO releases report from the “Sexually Transmitted Infection Research Agenda” meeting.

In May 2022, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) convened a group of national experts to develop a national research agenda for sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and treatment for the next five years.

The research agenda meeting was constructed to focus expert attention in eight different areas of Interest: Pathogenesis and Diagnostics; Biomedical Prevention and Clinical Management; Data Science and Surveillance; Epidemiology; Health Economics and Services; Policy; Social, Behavioral, and Computational Science; and Transmission Dynamics.

Participants were instructed to identify broad “answerable” research questions and not be limited by the specific technicalities of designing or implementing research projects to answer such questions. They were also requested to consider STI research questions in the broader context of the social determinants that drive the STI epidemics, as well as from a health equity lens. Participants identified cross-cutting considerations and areas for future research both within the areas of interest and across them.

NACCHO hopes this document will be used by all kinds of funders and research academic institutions to approach research funding and design.