Grant: New Investigator Award - PA: HIV/AIDS Services/Population Health Research

HIV has been shown to disproportionately affect groups that experience social exclusion, and in Canada, a strong case has been made to understand HIV in its social context. The Canadian Public Health Association notes that poverty, homelessness, stigma, addiction, violence, untreated mental health problems, lack of employment opportunities, powerlessness, lack of choice, lack of legal status and lack of social support create environments in which HIV and other illnesses flourish and spread. Very little Canadian health research has focussed on understanding the health issues and health care needs of two marginalized populations, transgendered and transsexual individuals as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Drawing on a social determinants of health framework, this five year program of research will focus on exploring the role that social exclusion plays in shaping health outcomes, and healthcare access barriers for gender and sexual minorities. Given the dearth of information addressing the needs of these populations in the Canadian context, a significant emphasis of this research program will be on identifying factors that will 1. lead to improved health outcomes, 2. help to ameliorate service access barriers, and 3. help to overcome vulnerability by fostering personal resiliency. The program of research will be community based and collaborative, involving a number of community agencies and service providers as partners. In addition, this research program will include significant opportunities for student mentoring. This will help to support the development of a new generation of researchers in Ontario able to work collaboratively with community partners and other stakeholders to impact this epidemic. A key goal of the research program will be to prioritize knowledge transfer and exchange initiatives that get data into the hands of decision-makers who need them.