Ford Hickson

Assistant Professor of Health Promotion

Telephone: +44-20-7927 2791
Email: ford.hickson@lshtm.ac.uk

Dr. Ford Hickson is a senior researcher with Sigma Research and a lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. After working at Terrence Higgins Trust and Frontliners in the late 1980s, Ford joined Sigma Research in 1990 and has spent the last twenty years researching and describing patterns of sex between men, particularly with reference to HIV transmission. For the past ten years he has led the design of the National Gay Men's Sex Survey. In 1998 he led the development of the national HIV prevention strategy for gay and bisexual men (Making it Count) with CHAPS Partners, subsequently adopted by the Department of Health. He received his doctorate, Authority, HIV and sex between men, in 2008. Ford is also co-author of more than 30 articles in peer reviewed journals, a book, and numerous monographs and book chapters. He has sat on several HIV and MSM related committees, most recently the Department of Health's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Group (Equality and Human Rights sub-group) and the Office for National Statistics' Sexual Identity Project Expert Research Group.

Recent journal articles

MacGregor L, Martin NK, Mukandavire C, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Hickman M & Vickerman P (2017) Behavioural, not biological, factors drive the HCV epidemic among HIV-positive MSM: HCV and HIV modelling analysis including HCV treatment-as-prevention impact. International Journal of Epidemiology, published online first 12 June 2017 (doi:10.1093/ije/dyx075).
Weatherburn P, Hickson F, Reid D, Torres-Rueda S, Bourne A (2017) Motivations and values associated with combining sex and illicit drugs (‘chemsex’) among gay men in South London: findings from a qualitative study. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 93:203-206 (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2016-052695).
Hickson F, Melendez-Torres GJ, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2017) HIV, sexual risk and ethnicity among gay and bisexual men in England: survey evidence for persisting health inequalities. Sexually Transmitted Infections, published online first 28 March 2017 (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2016-052800).
Ahmed A-K, Weatherburn P, Reid D, Hickson F, Torres-Rueda S, Steinberg P, Bourne A (2016) Social norms related to combining drugs and sex (“chemsex”) among gay men in South London. International Journal of Drug Policy, 38: 29–35 (doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.10.007).
Schmidt AJ, Bourne A, Weatherburn P, Reid D, Marcus U, Hickson F, & The EMIS Network (2016) Illicit drug use among gay and bisexual men in 44 cities: Findings from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS). International Journal of Drug Policy, 38:4-12 (doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.09.007).
Witzel TC, Melendez-Torres GJ, Hickson F, Weatherburn P (2016) HIV testing history and preferences for future tests among gay men, bisexual men and other MSM in England: results from a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open; 6: e011372 (doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011372).
Mapp F, Hickson F, Mercer CH, Wellings K (2016) How social representations of sexually transmitted infections influence experiences of genito-urinary symptoms and care-seeking in Britain: mixed methods study protocol. BMC Public Health, 16:548 (doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3261-0).
Melendez-Torres GJ, Bonell C, Hickson F, Bourne A, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2016) Predictors of crystal methamphetamine use in a community-based sample of UK men who have sex with men. International Journal of Drug Policy, 36: 43–46 (doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.06.010).
Hickson F, Davey C, Reid D, Weatherburn P, Bourne A (2016) Mental health inequalities among gay and bisexual men in England, Scotland and Wales: a large community-based cross-sectional survey. Journal of Public Health, published online first 26 April 2016 (doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdw021).
Bourne A, Davey C, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2016) Physical health inequalities among gay and bisexual men in England: a large community-based cross-sectional survey. Journal of Public Health, published online first 13 April 2016 (doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdw029).
Melendez-Torres GJ, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P, Bonell C (2016) Findings from within-subjects comparisons of drug use and sexual risk behaviour in men who have sex with men in England. International Journal of STDs & AIDS, published online first 24 March 2016 (doi:10.1177/0956462416642125).
Prah P, Hickson F, Bonell C, McDaid LM, Johnson AM, Wayal S, Clifton S, Sonnenberg P, Nardone A, Erens B, Copas AJ, Riddell J, Weatherburn P, Mercer CH (2016) Men who have sex with men in Great Britain: comparing methods and estimates from probability and convenience sample surveys. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 92: 455-463 (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2015-052389).
Melendez-Torres GJ, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P, Bonell C (2016) Nested event-level case-control study of drug use and sexual outcomes in multipartner encounters reported by MSM by men who have sex with men. AIDS and Behavior, 20(3): 646-654 (doi:10.1007/s10461- 015-1127-6).
Melendez-Torres GJ, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P, Bonell C (2016) An initial typology of contexts of dyadic sexual encounters between men and associations with sexual risk and pleasure: findings from an observational study. Sexual Health, 13(3): 221-227 (doi:10.1071/SH15218).
Melendez-Torres GJ, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P, Bonell C (2016) Drug use moderates associations between location of sex and unprotected anal intercourse in men who have sex with men: nested cross-sectional study of dyadic encounters with new partners. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 92:39-43 (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2014-051954).
Bourne A, Reid D, Hickson F, Torres-Rueda S, Steinberg P, Weatherburn P (2015) “Chemsex” and harm reduction need among gay men in South London. International Journal of Drug Policy, 26(12): 1171–1176 (doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.07.013).
Bourne A, Reid D, Hickson F, Torres-Rueda S, Weatherburn P (2015) Illicit drug use in sexual settings (‘chemsex’) and HIV/STI transmission risk behaviour among gay men in South London: findings from a qualitative study. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 91(8): 564-8 (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2015-052052).
Pachankis JE, Hatzenbuehler M, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Berg RC, Marcus U, Schmidt AJ (2015) Hidden from health: structural stigma, sexual orientation concealment, and HIV across 38 countries in the European MSM Internet Survey. AIDS, 29(10): 1239–1246 (doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000724).
Marcus U, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Furegato M, Breveglieri M, Berg R, Schmidt AJ and the EMIS network (2015) Antiretroviral therapy and reasons for not taking it among men having sex with men (MSM) - Results from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS). PLoS One. Mar 20;10(3):e0121047 (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121047).
Colledge L, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2015) Poorer mental health in UK bisexual women than lesbians: evidence from the UK 2007 Stonewall Women’s Health Survey. Journal of Public Health, 37(3): 427-37 (doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdu105).
Hickson F, Tomlin K, Hargreaves J, Bonell C, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2014) Internet-based cohort study of HIV testing over 1 year among men who have sex with men living in England and exposed to a social marketing intervention promoting testing. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 91:24-30. (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2014-051598).
Bourne A, Hammond G, Reid D, Hickson F, Schmidt AJ, Weatherburn P and the EMIS Network (2013) What constitutes the best sex life for gay and bisexual men? Implications for HIV prevention. BMC Public Health, 13:1083 (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-1083).
Marcus U, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Schmidt AJ and the EMIS Network (2013) Estimating the size of the MSM populations for 38 European countries by calculating the survey-surveillance discrepancies (SSD) between self-reported new HIV diagnoses from the European MSM internet survey (EMIS) and surveillance-reported HIV diagnoses among MSM in 2009. BMC Public Health, 13:919 (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-919).
Marcus U, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Schmidt AJ and the EMIS Network (2013) Age biases in a large HIV and sexual behaviour-related internet survey among MSM. BMC Public Health, 13:826 (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-826).
Datta J, Hickson F, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2013) STI testing without HIV disclosure by MSM with diagnosed HIV infection in England: cross-sectional results from an online panel survey. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 89(7): 602-3 (doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2013-051186).
Schmidt AJ, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Marcus U, and the EMIS Network (2013) Comparison of the performance of STI screening for gay and bisexual men across 40 European cities: results from the European MSM Internet Survey. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 89(7): 575–582 (doi:10.1136/sextrans-2012-050973).
Weatherburn P, Schmidt AJ, Hickson F, Reid D, Berg RC, Hospers HJ, Marcus U, The EMIS Network (2013) The European men-who-have-sex-with-men internet survey (EMIS): design and methods. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 10(4): 243-257 (doi: 10.1007/s13178-013-0119-4).
Hickson F, Bonell C, Hargreaves J, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2013) HIV Testing and HIV serostatus-specific sexual risk behaviour among men who have sex with men living in England and recruited through the Internet in 2001 and 2008. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 10(1): 15-23 (doi: 10.1007/s13178-012-0106-1).
Marcus U, Hickson F, Weatherburn P, Schmidt AJ and the EMIS Network (2012) Prevalence of HIV among MSM in Europe: comparison of self-reported diagnoses from a large scale internet survey and existing national estimates. BMC Public Health, 12: 978 (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-978).
Bourne A, Hickson F, Keogh P, Reid D, Weatherburn P (2012) Problems with sex among gay and bisexual men with diagnosed HIV in the United Kingdom. BMC Public Health, 12: 916 (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-916).

Recent research reports

Hickson F, Reid D, Hammond G, Weatherburn P (2016) State of play: findings from the England Gay Men's Sex Survey 2014. London, Sigma Research @ LSHTM, May 2016 (ISBN: 978-1-906673-24-6).
Bourne A, Reid D, Hickson F, Torres Rueda S, Weatherburn P (2014) The Chemsex study: drug use in sexual settings among gay and bisexual men in Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham. London, Sigma Research.

Recent talks and presentations

Are drug use and situational characteristics at last sex associated with sexual outcomes? HIV Prevention England Conference 2015, London, 19 February 2015.
HIV prevention objectives among MSM in England: Data from the Gay Men’s Sex Surveys 2010 and 2014. HIV Prevention England Conference 2015, London, 19 February 2015.
Harm reduction and HIV prevention need among gay men in London using (chemsex) drugs during sex. 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, July 20-25 2014 (poster).
A perfect storm? Modern technological & structural facilitators of drug use during sex among gay men. 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, July 20^th-25 2014 (poster).
Are interactions between substance use and place associated with sexual risk? 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, July 20-25 2014 (poster).
Event-level analysis of multi-partner sexual encounters: situational characteristics & sex outcomes. 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, July 20-25 2014 (poster).
Multi-encounter analysis of substance use; situational characteristics, and types of sexual outcomes. 20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia, July 20-25 2014 (poster).
Towards better sex with less harm for gay and bisexual men. A day of unprotected sex @ Guy's Hospital, 24 March 2012.
The Sigma Panel: introduction and methods. 15^th annual CHAPS Conference (C15), Bristol, February 29 - March 1 2012.
Plenary: Towards better sex with less harm for gay and bisexual men. 15^th annual CHAPS Conference (C15), Bristol, February 29 - March 1 2012.

ResearchGate Profile for Ford Hickson