Grant: CIHR Fellowship

In British Columbia, as in the rest of Canada, the majority of new HIV diagnoses are among gay and bisexual men. Gay and bisexual men currently represent the largest proportion of people living with HIV (45 percent) and new infections each year (57 percent) in BC. While new HIV diagnoses have decreased for men living in BC who were born before 1980, a rise in diagnoses has been observed in their younger counterparts. The factors that contribute to high rates of HIV among this population have also contributed to high rates of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis. Major advancements in the evolution of HIV prevention have been made in the last few years, including new information about the role of biomedical interventions (e.g., reduced HIV transmission risk due to antiretroviral use and pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis). Research is required to understand how young gay and bisexual men understand increasingly complex health information, and the extent to which knowledge of HIV transmission risk informs prevention repertories in their everyday sexual lives, including HIV/STI testing patterns and sexual decision-making made "in the heat of the sexual moment". Using both survey data and qualitative interviews, this research will examine how to better support the sexual health needs and health literacy of diverse groups of young gay and bisexual men (16-30 years old) living in urban, suburban and rural/remote areas of BC. Research in this area is necessary to enhance current HIV/STI prevention programs in the province including online HIV/STI testing delivery platforms and other health services and information available to young gay and bisexual men in both Vancouver and other cities in BC. Working with community-based organizations will enhance the impact of this study and allow for the engagement of young gay and bisexual community-based researchers in the process of research and knowledge translation.