Moving Forward Together: A Needs Assessment Research Agenda for Indiana

In February 2010, the Indiana Minority Health Coalition funded a process to define the HIV prevention research agenda for Indiana. Leadership was provided by the Indiana HIV Prevention Community Planning Group’s Needs Assessment Committee. The committee included members of the Community Planning Group, members of sub-populations affected by HIV in Indiana, technical advisors with evaluation, HIV prevention, capacity building and epidemiology specializations and research partners from several Indiana universities. The committee sought ongoing feedback from members of the CPG and from the public through an online forum. Committee work was also informed by findings from a comprehensive review of previous needs assessments focused on Indiana (1998-2009) and a review of assessment approaches by states similar to Indiana. Click here for a copy of the research agenda entitled Moving Forward Together: A Needs Assessment Research Agenda for Indiana.

HIV Prevention Research Priorities

Indiana communities, planning coalitions and research partners are encouraged to focus on one or more of the following priorities to help shape a more comprehensive understanding of HIV in Indiana.

Stigma
Provider Behaviors
Perspectives and Behaviors of Sub Populations
Community Infrastructure
Health System Opportunities and Failures
Policy Environment

Review of Needs Assessments Related to HIV Prevention in Indiana, 1998-2002

Twenty six needs assessments related to HIV prevention were summarized for the Needs Assessment Committee of the Indiana HIV Prevention Community Planning Process to inform the planning for a comprehensive HIV prevention needs assessment. An effort was made to collect as many needs assessment documents as possible through literature review and networking with public health and community partners during March 2010.

The needs assessments included in this summary were conducted between 1998 and 2009. For the purpose of the review, the dates associated with the needs assessment refer to the year the data were collected. In several cases, the reports were published months after the data were collected; and in some cases, more than one year following the data collection.