A group of Spanish research and healthcare organizations has developed a spatial intelligence platform to improve health policy decisions for HIV prevention and early diagnosis. The initiative, called HIVision Spain, involves INCLIVA Healthcare Research Institute-University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, the Universitat Politècnica de València through its VRAIN Institute, the Valencia Anti-AIDS Committee, and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies on Sexually Transmitted Infections and AIDS in Catalonia (CEEISCAT).
The project aims to shift from a reactive approach to HIV management toward a predictive model that emphasizes prevention. "The goal of the 18-month project is to develop a tool that allows selecting the best intervention based on the epidemiological moment, the target population and the available resources, accelerating early diagnosis, optimising prevention and advancing equity," according to those involved in the initiative.
HIVision Spain was recognized with an award in the Prevention category at the second edition of Visionarium Innovation by Gilead. The platform uses historical data for validation and updates its models with current field data from Valencia and Barcelona. It can run various scenarios to estimate how changes in different factors may affect epidemic trends. These simulations provide metrics and micro-plans that can be adopted by health authorities.
Despite recent progress in combating HIV in Spain, challenges remain. The rate of new diagnoses has not changed much since 2021, and late-stage diagnoses are still common. More than half of all new cases are detected at advanced stages, resulting in increased illness rates, deaths, and higher healthcare costs.
International experts recommend expanding systematic screening within clinical services and making it more accessible to vulnerable groups through rapid testing and treatment options. However, barriers such as stigma, dependence on hospital-based care, long wait times, and limited decentralized access points continue to hinder efforts in Spain.
HIVision Spain introduces a multiscale computer simulator previously used for other sexually transmitted infections by this research team. This model integrates several layers: geospatial data to focus on areas with higher potential impact; behavioral patterns related to testing frequency and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); clinical pathways from diagnosis through viral suppression; and programmatic aspects like capacity limitations and waiting periods.
"The aim is not to replace existing information systems, but to complement them with a predictive and operational tool that translates local evidence into implementable micro-plans," say project representatives. With this tool, clinicians, managers, and community organizations will be able to assess expected outcomes for combinations of interventions such as screening programs or PrEP under realistic conditions.
The project consists of two main phases. Phase I includes participatory mapping activities in Valencia along with community screening initiatives; this phase is already underway with independent funding. Phase II focuses on developing the simulator itself using national surveillance data followed by calibration exercises in Valencia and external validation in Barcelona before expanding across Spain.
Key contributors include Anaïs Corma; María José Galindo from INCLIVA's Cardiometabolic and Renal Risk Study Group; José Canales from the Valencia Anti-AIDS Committee; José María Sempere and Marcelino Campos from VRAIN at UPV; as well as Cinta Folch, Helena González, and Georgia Escaramis from CEEISCAT.
