Why was OHESI created?

The objectives of OHESI are to analyze, monitor and disseminate knowledge products on the epidemiology of HIV in Ontario. OHESI is a vital partnership that supports Ontario’s ongoing ability to assess the impact of policy directions and HIV related program initiatives. By working together, the agencies involved with OHESI are aiming to achieve better access to timely, relevant, and comprehensive information about the epidemiology of HIV in Ontario, and to disseminate this information more widely to the different groups of stakeholders who need to know it, including:

The success of the partnership would not be possible without the strategic, technical and resource contributions of all the partners. OHESI also receives ongoing advice from a community advisory committee: people working in the community-based HIV service sector and HIV clinics whose input helps ensure that OHESI reports and other products support collective efforts and impact in neighborhoods, communities and organizations across the province.

How will OHESI do this?

OHESI’s activities will reflect the conceptual frameworks of the provincial strategy, namely syndemic theory and the integrated HIV prevention, engagement and care cascade. Using HIV epidemiology and surveillance data related to these frameworks, the primary emphasis of OHESI will be on the following populations affected by HIV in Ontario:

For example, this may include for a given population:

1. Drawing on HIV testing and viral load data to describe testing uptake, diagnosis, linkage, retention in care and suppressed viral load

2. Presenting alongside research data which looks at underlying determinants (e.g. behavioural measures, socioeconomic status)

3. Combining these with modeled estimates of HIV incidence and prevalence