RESEARCH…

Since its establishment GHN has led on the need for research that contributes to the health and wellbeing of MSM. One of the first all-Ireland surveys was the Vital Statistic 2000 carried out in partnership with Sigma Research (http://sigmaresearch.org.uk) (Sigma is a research group specialising in social and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It is now part of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine). 

This partnership with Sigma led to further MSM Internet surveys between 2003 to 2008 and the results are published under ‘Real Lives’ one and two (2003 to 2006) as well as the data-sets for 2007 and 2008.

In 2010 GHN joined with Sigma and other European partners to produce the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS 2010). In 2014, GHN met with the HPSC HSE and as result a partnership was established to promote the MSM Internet Survey Ireland (MISI). A MISI 2015 steering group guided the promotion and reporting of the survey. In 2016 the MISI group after contact with the EMIS Network formed a new steering committee for the promotion of EMIS 2017 in Ireland. On October 3rd 2019 the EMIS 2017 Ireland Report and Community Report Part 1 were published.

EMIS-2017 IRELAND REPORTS

EMIS 2017 REPORT

EMIS-2017 Ireland

The EMIS-Ireland team would especially like to thank all of the men who gave their time to respond to the survey, without your participation we would not have the means to produce such meaningful results.

‘Gay Health Network (GHN) and Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) were the country leads in Ireland for EMIS-2017. We would like to acknowledge the invaluable support and expert guidance of the EMIS-2017 Ireland steering committee that oversaw and supported the analysis of the data. They also provided an invaluable peer-review of this report at various stages of production.

We would like to thank the co-ordinators of the overall EMIS-2017 survey for their invaluable knowledge and patience. EMIS-2017 was coordinated by Sigma Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in association with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Berlin. EMIS core team at Sigma Research (LSHTM): Ford Hickson; David Reid, Axel J. Schmidt and Peter Weatherburn.

Funding: EMIS-2017 was carried out as part of ESTICOM, under the service contract 2015 71 01 with The Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA), acting under powers delegated by the Commission of the European Union. The contract arises from the Call for tender No Chafea/2015/Health/38.

We would particularly like to thank the Sexual Health Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) HSE who funded the analysis of Irish data from EMIS-2017 called ‘EMIS-2017 Ireland’.

EMIS-2017 BACKGROUND

EMIS 2017 was live and collecting data from gay, bisexual, and other MSM in 50 countries between 18 October 2017 and 31 January 2018. The online questionnaire was available simultaneously in 33 languages – About 137,000 MSM in the 50 target countries took part and submitted their answers

The overall aim of EMIS-2017 is to generate data useful for the planning of HIV and STI prevention and care programmes and the monitoring of national progress in this area (by comparing with the results of previous surveys). The survey seeks to describe the level and distribution of HIV transmission risk and precautionary behaviours; related HIV prevention needs; and to assess self-reported STI testing behaviours, testing performance and STI diagnoses, including viral hepatitis.

At a country level, the survey will generate data for understanding the needs of populations and directing prevention programmes. At the international level, patterns of policy, service and cultural responses can be examined for their impact on epidemic spread and containment, providing knowledge beyond the grasp of any one country.

PROMOTION OF EMIS 2017 IRELAND

MISI 2015

GHN and others were involved in the MSM Internet Survey Ireland (MISI) 2015 (www.misi.ie). This was a Republic of Ireland survey among MSM and a record number of men responded. As well as the comprehensive Report published in 2016, GHN produced three community infographic reports, two of which were advertised in Gay Community News. The MISI partnership consists of Gay Health Network(GHN), Health Protection Surveillance Centre(HPSC), Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme(SCHPP), Gay Men’s Health Service(GMHS), also the international advisory group Axel J Schmidt, Ford Hickson, Peter Keogh and Daniel McCartney continues to liaise in relation to further research among MSM in Ireland.

EMIS 2010

In 2010, GHN joined with the European MSM Sex Survey (EMIS 2010) (http://www.emis-project.eu/) one of the largest surveys in the world. The survey in 25 languages across 38 countries saw more than 180,000 respondents. GHN contributed to and produced one of the EMIS Community reports. In 2012 GHN published the EMIS Ireland results under the Man2Man Reports.   Also, the ECDC published the final EMIS 2010 report in 2013.

Vital Statistic 2000 / Real Lives

Since its establishment GHN has led on the need for research that contributes to the health and wellbeing of MSM. One of the  rst all-Ireland surveys was the Vital Statistic 2000 carried out in partnership with Sigma Research (http://sigmaresearch.org.uk) (Sigma is a research group specialising in social and policy aspects of HIV and sexual health. It is now part of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine). This continues with the EMIS 2010 and MISI 2015 and the forthcoming EMIS 2017.

Other Research

GHN, member groups and partners at times are also involved in key research in relation to HIV and Sexual Health. Syphilis Awareness Action and Knowledge (SAKA 2009), the Hate Crime Report 2006 and others are placed below.