Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42259628›Full record

ReviewSexually transmitted infections2026

From silos to synergies: harnessing the power of sexual health data sources in England to understand changing epidemiology and inform policy.

Dana Ogaz, Anika Knuppel, Emily Trickett, Soazig Clifton, Charles Beck, Magnus Unemo, Pam Sonnenberg, Hamish Mohammed, Catherine H Mercer, Kate Soldan and 2 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Sexually transmitted infections, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Dana OgazInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK Dana.Ogaz@ukhsa.gov.uk nigel.field@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1900-8892
Anika KnuppelInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.
Emily TrickettInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7254-2023
Soazig CliftonInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4171-0805
Charles BeckEvaluation and Epidemiological Sciences Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0967-5333
Magnus UnemoWHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other STIs, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
Pam SonnenbergInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1067-1583
Hamish MohammedInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2060-7286
Catherine H MercerInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4220-5034
Kate SoldanBlood Safety, Hepatitis, STIs and HIV Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Katy M TurnerEvaluation and Epidemiological Sciences Division, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Nigel FieldInstitute for Global Health, University College London, London, England, UK Dana.Ogaz@ukhsa.gov.uk nigel.field@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2825-6652

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesFollowing major changes to sexual health provision in England in the past decade, monitoring and evaluation of population-level interventions require re-examination to ensure quality and visibility of key communities. We make the case that sexual health data sources might be used synergistically to improve sexual health and tackle inequalities.

methodsWe conducted a purposive narrative review to (1) describe national sexual health policy and provision changes in England in the past decade (2012 onwards), (2) map key sexual health data resources and (3) demonstrate how integrated data-driven approaches can be used to understand and evaluate population-level sexual health policy.

resultsThere have been major changes at a national and regional level in the availability, targeting and implementation of HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) interventions, including through high-level shifts in funding structures, expansion of online services and pathogen-focused policies. Synergistic use of the many data sources available takes advantage of their different features. For example, for HIV, integration of nationally representative behavioural surveys that include people not accessing care (eg, National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles), targeted surveys (eg, Reducing inequalities in Sexual Health surveys for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM)) and national STI/HIV surveillance for people accessing care (eg, GUMCAD STI Surveillance System) can be used to inform progress towards HIV elimination in England through assessment of online and postal-based self-sampling and inequalities in HIV testing uptake in populations and key communities such as GBMSM.

conclusionIn the face of rapid change, approaches that integrate complementary data sources have the potential to harness the strengths of individual assets and mitigate limitations to form a more complete assessment of population-level interventions and should guide sexual health policy and practice in the decade to come. Effective data integration requires addressing a range of methods, mandates and challenges to strengthen contemporary research, monitoring and evaluation.

Indexed as

Health PolicyHIV InfectionsSexual HealthSexually Transmitted DiseasesEnglandFemaleHumansMaleEpidemiologyHIVPOLICYSEXUAL HEALTH

Identifiers

PMID42259628
PMCPMC13539839

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.