Dr. Nur Afiqah’s past research work has examined institutional-related structures associated with optimal adherence to HIV treatment among HIV-positive people who use illicit drugs (PWUD). This epidemiological work has been informed by sociological perspectives which framed the research questions within a wider social, economic and policy environment. As such, her doctoral research project applied institutional perspectives from a sociological view to explore the extent to which individual and organizational interactions are aligned in achieving a patient-centred care approach, specifically to facilitate improvements in HIV care outcomes among PWUD.

Her future research plan is to generate comprehensive datasets on social, economic, policy and individual-level factors that are linked with addiction. Second, she plans to establish a confidential linkage to comprehensive HIV clinical monitoring, treatment and clinical outcomes. By conducting these two aims and having access to both data sources, there is an opportunity to examine factors that would influence Malaysian PWUDs’ health and well-being. Additionally, she plans to be actively involved in the knowledge-transfer activities, in which evidence-based practices can be implemented in real-life settings.