Consultant Engaged

John de Wit

John de Wit (MSc, PhD) was appointed Professor and Director of the National Centre of HIV Social Research at the University of New South Wales as of 1 July 2008. As of 1 July 2007 he also is Professor in Social Psychology of Health and Sexuality at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, where he holds a chair endowed by the National Organisation for Health Research and Development, The Netherlands. Previously John de Wit was Assistant Professor in Social Psychology at Utrecht University, The Netherlands (as of September 1994), followed by an appointment as Associate Professor in Social Psychology of Health at Utrecht University as of 1 July 2001. From 1998 until 2002 he concurrently was Program Director for Social Science Research in the STI/HIV Research Unit of the Amsterdam Health Service, and he is a former partner and co-director of the Institute for Prevention and Social Research (2003-2005), an independent, internationally operating private organisation that provides expert consultancy to inform the spectrum of HIV/STI policies and programs of governmental, non-governmental and supranational organisations. From September 2005 until July 2008 he was Associate Director with the School of Psychology in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Utrecht University. John de Wit has contributed to several textbooks in social psychology, health psychology and sexology, and he has co-edited books on the self-regulation of health behavior and the application of social psychological theory. He also has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals in disciplines as diverse as epidemiology, public health, health psychology, social psychology, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, John de Wit is member of the editorial board of several international journals and member of the scientific committee of international conferences in the field of HIV and STI.

John de Wit has a longstanding involvement in research in the field of HIV, STI, viral hepatitis and sexual health that spans two decades, and most of this work is concerned with understanding behaviours and developing and testing interventions to promote prevention and behaviour change in various communities, including men who have sex with men, young people and minority communities. His work in HIV, STI, viral hepatitis and sexual health is firmly grounded in social science theories of evaluation, decision-making and social behaviour and contributes to evidence-based practice in persuasive communication, behaviour change and health promotion. His recent work in the field of HIV focuses on the implications of the availability of effective antiretroviral treatment, the impact of the prolonged duration of the HIV epidemic on the prevention motivation of affected communities, notably men who have sex with men and their service providers, and the dynamics of social and psychological adjustment to chronic illness.

John de Wit was Chair of the Expert Group in Sexual Health in the Research Institute for Psychology and Health, a cross-national training and research institute accredited by the Dutch Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also has been a member of the Dutch Program Committee on Sexuality and Gender of the National Organisation for Health Research and Development. He is member of the Steering Committee of HIV in Europe, an independent conference to address the range of policy and program issues in (access to) adequate diagnosis, treatment and care in the European Community and the wider European Region. Furthermore, John de Wit has been a member of the committee of the Health Council, The Netherlands, which advised national government on the efficacy of mass communication to promote health. Currently he is a member of the New South Wales Ministerial Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS.