Grant: Planning Grants - Priority Announcement: HIV/AIDS

With the failure of the latest vaccine trial, HVTN-505, announced in April 2013, HIV prevention efforts remain essential (Lancet, 2013). Social and structural factors contributing to HIV/STI transmission include stigma regarding sexual violence, HIV infection and sexual orientation. While HIV prevention and overall sexual health programs targeting youth in Peru have been implemented , key populations of youth (sex workers, male youth and transgender) continue to be overrepresented in new cases of HIV and STI in Peru. In this CIHR Planning grant we aim to develop an interdisciplinary, international research team to understand HIV/STI prevention priorities among youth in two culturally and geographically diverse cities in Peru, Lima, the capital city, and Ayacucho, in the Andean region. Team members represent social science and clinical researchers from Canada, Peru and USA. We plan: 1) to conduct a review of existing research, legislation, policies and practices on HIV/STI prevention in Peru; 2) to conduct in April 2014 knowledge users (youth) and stakeholders consultations (health care providers, community organizers) in both locations and, 3 ) to conduct in June 2014 two community forums with community partners, stakeholders, health researchers and knowledge users from Ayacucho and Lima. The goal of the consultations and community forums would be to share HIV/STI and sexual health priorities across these two cities and to plan a viable, cultural, age and gender appropriate HIV prevention and health promotion research project with youth in these two diverse regions. The lessons learned of developing the planned international, interdisciplinary team will serve to the following knowledge translation (KT) goals: a) to inform a CIHR Community-based HIV Research Catalyst Grant; and b) to inform peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications/ presentations regarding HIV/STI prevention research priorities among youth in Peru.