“Leveraging Implementation Research to Strengthen HIV Care”
By Hanan Abafita (UNC MPH ’26)
Summer 2025 AFE Blog Post Series
This summer, I’m honored to be participating in an Applied Field Experience (AFE) through the STAR (Stimulating Training and Access to HIV Research) Program. As a Rotary Peace Fellow, this opportunity deeply aligns with Rotary’s mission to promote positive peace—particularly through the lens of public health. For me, public health is a powerful tool for peacebuilding, especially in under-resourced communities where access to care is limited and disease burden is high.
Hanan at WashU
One of the world’s most persistent public health challenges is HIV. The virus continues to disproportionately affect communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, where structural barriers and health inequities are pronounced. Since HIV first emerged in the early 1980s, over 88 million people globally have contracted the virus, and more than 42 million lives have been lost (WHO, 2025). The urgent need for cost-effective, scalable innovations in HIV prevention and care cannot be overstated.
That’s where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. My AFE seeks to examine how AI can be leveraged to improve HIV prevention and care.
As part of this experience, I am conducting a systematic review titled “Facilitators and Barriers to the Use of Artificial Intelligence in HIV Care: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.” This review aims to explore:
- What are the key facilitators and barriers to implementing AI in HIV care?
- Where are the gaps in the current research that need further attention?
AI is increasingly being seen as a promising solution to many of the limitations in healthcare systems; from improving early detection and risk prediction to optimizing care pathways. However, the success of AI interventions depends not only on technological innovation but also on ethical, thoughtful, and equity-centered implementation.
Hanan and fellow STAR scholars visiting a Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinic (North Central Community Health Center) in St. Louis, MO
To ensure effective communication with community-based organizations (CBOs), and public health practitioners, I developed a dissemination plan that includes infographics and slide decks designed to communicate key findings from the review.
The findings will directly support the STAR Program’s goal of advancing innovation in HIV care and align with Rotary’s mission to expand access to essential health services and prevent disease through education, treatment, and sustainable health systems. By contributing to health system strengthening, my AFE supports the foundation of positive peace enhancing equity and opportunity in vulnerable communities.
A highlight of this experience was attending the one-week STAR Implementation Science Bootcamp at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). This training brought together leading researchers, health officials, and implementation scientists to explore how we can better design and scale interventions for HIV prevention and care.
I had the opportunity to present preliminary findings from my systematic review and receive feedback from peers and mentors. This experience not only deepened my understanding of implementation science but also reinforced the idea that context is equally important as interventions.
The most memorable moment of the Bootcamp came during a keynote from the former Director of Health for the City of St. Louis. A fierce and compassionate leader, she shared her personal journey from academia to public service and the radical decision to resign from a high-level position to prioritize her mental health, and peace.
In a world that glorifies overwork, particularly for Black women, her message was affirming. It taught me that it is okay to say no, and it is important to take rest and define success on our own terms. Leadership, she reminded us, is not only about striving to be “the first” or “the only” but it’s about building up the next generation and knowing when to walk away with grace and integrity.
What stood out most was her unwavering commitment to community. She didn’t lead with her degrees or titles she led by listening, volunteering, and showing up consistently. She told us that data alone is not enough: “If you control the variables, you control the outcomes.” As an applied epidemiology student, this was a powerful reminder that every data point has a story, and as public health professionals, we must speak to and for the people behind the data.
Throughout Bootcamp, I also had the chance to learn from researchers, NIH officials, and healthcare leaders who are shaping the future of HIV prevention. These sessions offered invaluable insights into how implementation science can bridge the gap between innovation and impact.
As I continue my AFE, I am more committed than ever to ensuring that my work contributes to equitable and sustainable HIV care. By engaging with CBOs, I hope to co-create knowledge that empowers communities and informs policy.
Public health is not just a profession–it’s a calling, and through my AFE, I have witnessed it can also be a path to peace.