Grant: Operating Grant - HIV/AIDS CBR Program - General

The intersecting challenges faced by people living with HIV who use drugs have been exacerbated by the ongoing overdose crisis driven by a highly toxic and unpredictable drug supply. Despite recent studies suggesting that this sub-population is at increased risk of fatal overdose, few overdose prevention interventions, including safer supply-oriented programs, exist specifically, or are integrated with services for, people living with HIV. While studies demonstrate positive impacts of integrating HIV and substance use services, little is known about how engagement with safer supply programs may impact HIV treatment and care. Our three-year longitudinal ethnographic qualitative study will address the following aims:   AIM 1: To characterize how engagement with safer supply-oriented interventions shapes the drug use patterns, practices, and overdose vulnerability of PLHIV who use drugs. AIM 2: To explore how engagement with safer supply-oriented interventions influences the management of HIV and co-morbid conditions among PLHIV who use drugs. AIM 3: To explore how individual, social, structural and environmental factors shape engagement with safer supply-oriented interventions and HIV treatment, treatment outcomes, and their onward impacts to health and quality of life.   To address these aims, we will harness partnerships with community members and organizations to develop and implement an innovative three-year community-based research study. Our proposed research activities will include longitudinal interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with people living with HIV who use drugs to broaden our understanding of the impact of engagement with safer supply-oriented programs on HIV treatment and care.