Grant: Catalyst Grant - HIV/AIDS and Aboriginal Health

Aboriginal peoples living with HIV face numerous obstacles to health and wellness. Despite these obstacles, many two-spirit and/or gay/bisexual HIV-positive Aboriginal men who have been living with HIV for a long time (10 years or more) report that they are doing well. Little is known about the factors that impact the resiliency, health and wellness of two-spirit and/or gay/bisexual HIV-positive Aboriginal men who have been living with HIV long term. This study is designed to bring together a team of researchers comprised of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members and academics to review existing research about resiliency among those living with HIV. Once we have summarized the research, we will conduct focus groups that have been modified to work similarly to Aboriginal sharing circles with HIV- positive two-spirit Aboriginal men who have had HIV for 10 years or more to obtain their input into how the summary of the research is relevant to their lives. Additionally, we will ask them what other areas we should be looking at for future research. The research team will then submit a grant for a larger study on resiliency among two-spirit and/or gay/bisexual HIV-positive Aboriginal men. We will summarize our findings and present them to communities and academics. This grant will result in three specific outcomes: (1) a substantial review of current academic literature on resiliency among those who have been living with HIV long term, (2) written and verbal community and academic reports of the sharing circle findings, and (3) a new research partnership of academics and community members will be strongly poised to submit a larger CIHR operating grant for future research funding focused on enhancing and sustaining the health and wellness of two-spirit and/or gay/bisexual HIV-positive Aboriginal men who have been living with HIV long term.