Using big data to curb HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid harms in Southern communities
Harnessing big data to arrest the HIV/HCV/opioid syndemic in the rural and urban South
This project uses large health and public-health data to find where HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid problems overlap and to guide prevention and services for people in rural and urban Southern U.S. communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11318986 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live in the South, this project looks across many health records, overdose reports, and surveillance data to find counties where HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid use are linked. Researchers combine information on infections, overdoses, and prescribing to pinpoint high-risk places and populations. The team will share findings with local public health programs to help them respond faster and target testing, treatment, and harm-reduction services. If your community is flagged, this work could help bring local resources where they are most needed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV or hepatitis C, people who inject drugs, those with recent overdose or opioid-use risk, and residents of high-risk rural or urban Southern counties are the primary groups this work focuses on.
Not a fit: People who live outside the affected Southern regions or who have no exposure to injection drug use or related risk factors may not see direct benefits from this project's findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to earlier detection of outbreaks and more targeted prevention, testing, and treatment services for affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Public-health surveillance and outbreak analyses (for example, work that identified the Scott County HIV/HCV outbreak) have successfully used similar data-driven approaches to find clusters and inform responses, though combining HIV, HCV, and opioid data across the rural and urban South at this scale is a newer effort.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rebeiro, Peter F — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Rebeiro, Peter F
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.