Research | Ayel L. R. Batac
RESEARCH
RESEARCH SUMMARY
My research centres on the social epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with a focus on marginalized and underserved populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex worker communities. I am particularly interested in STI prevention and control, with an emphasis on the structural, behavioural, and social determinants that shape health inequities.
I also examine infectious disease prevention and response in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and low-resource settings. My current work includes evaluating pay-it-forward approaches as innovative behavioural interventions to improve access to gonorrhea and chlamydia testing among MSM in China. I also maintain broader interests in respiratory infections, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and tuberculosis (TB). While I have growing interests in health economic and infectious disease modelling, my current focus lies in mixed methods research, knowledge synthesis, and epidemiological analysis. I am actively engaged in knowledge translation (KT) and knowledge mobilization (KMb) efforts to bridge research with policy and practice, ensuring that evidence informs real-world decision-making.
In addition to my work in infectious diseases, I have a longstanding interest in allergy and clinical immunology, particularly in the areas of anaphylaxis and allergen immunotherapy. I am also interested in the pharmacoeconomic evaluation of HIV prevention strategies, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
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CURRENT RESEARCH
Learn more about each research theme by clicking on each tile.
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RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Social epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STI)
- Infectious disease prevention and control in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and low-resource settings
- Respiratory tract infections (COVID-19, influenza [flu], respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], tuberculosis [TB])
- Health equity among men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex worker populations
- Allergy (anaphylaxis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, drug allergy, food allergy)
- Allergen immunotherapy (subcutaneous immunotherapy [SCIT], sublingual immunotherapy [SLIT])
- Dermatoepidemiology
- Behavioural interventions for health service uptake (e.g., pay-it-forward)
- Diagnostics research
- Knowledge synthesis in allergy and infectious diseases
- Knowledge translation and knowledge mobilization (KT/KMb)
- Implementation science
- Infectious disease and health economic modelling
- Pharmacoeconomics (allergy and infectious diseases)
RESEARCH AREAS
- Allergy and Clinical Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
- HIV/AIDS
- Dermatology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Global Health
- Epidemiology (Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases)
- Health Systems Research
- Implementation Science
- Health Economics and Outcomes Research
KEYWORDS
Allergy, clinical immunology, anaphylaxis, atopic dermatitis, drug allergy, food allergy, infectious diseases, sexually transmitted infections, STI, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, respiratory tract infections, COVID-19, tuberculosis, diagnostics, sexual health, stigma, public health, global health, mixed methods research, implementation science, healthy systems research, knowledge synthesis, low- and middle-income countries, LMIC, health equity
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For a complete list of my publications, please visit the following research platforms:
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