What is Chime In?
In January 2016, CDC awarded the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) funding to implement the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) survey in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). This includes Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington and Yamhill Counties in Oregon and Clark and Skamania Counties in Washington. NHBS is known locally as “Chime In.”
The project consists of 500 annual, anonymous surveys and HIV testing of populations at increased risk for HIV. The survey gathers information on sexual and drug use behaviors, use of prevention services, and HIV care. The target population for this project rotates annually among three groups:
- Heterosexuals at increased risk for HIV (HET)
- Men who have sex with men (including cis men, trans men and nonbinary individuals assigned male at birth) (MSM)
- People who inject drugs (PWID)
Since each population gets interviewed every three years, NHBS permits evaluation of trends over time. NHBS collects data on sexual and drug use risk behaviors, receipt of prevention services (e.g., HIV testing, free condoms, sterile syringes) and the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV infection. These data help public health agencies better optimize HIV, STI, and HCV prevention efforts.