Grant: Operating Grant - PA: HIV/AIDS Res Initiative - Hlth Svs/Population Hlth Stream
University of Manitoba
$335,630.00
A South to South collaborative project to understand and address the HIV vulnerability of male sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya
EF 2012-13
Résumé
During the early years of the HIV epidemic, a denial by many African governments in acknowledging the existence of HIV/AIDS resulted in incomplete surveillance, leading to an inaccurate understanding of the magnitude of the epidemic as well as those at risk. Furthermore, by the mid-1980s, AIDS in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa was characterized as a heterosexual epidemic with homosexual transmission considered as being absent or occurring at a very low level. Today, HIV prevention and intervention efforts in many parts of Africa continue to primarily center on heterosexual transmission dynamics and grossly fail to encompass the needs of men who have sex with men (MSM). The silence around the homosexual transmission of HIV has been abetted by ongoing human rights violations, homophobic government pronouncements and policies, stigma and violence. Reports of high HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM in Africa have gone virtually unaddressed, until recent calls to action. Previous research conducted by our team shows that a subset of MSM in Nairobi, those who practise sex work, are highly vulnerable to HIV infection. Between 2009 and 2012, 510 male sex workers (MSWs) attended a Nairobi-based clinic. The baseline HIV prevalence was 40.4% and the annual HIV incidence among uninfected participants was 11.8%. Reliable evidence that can explain why this group is highly vulnerable to HIV infection is urgently needed to develop an effective intervention. The proposed study has the following overarching aims: (1) to produce a reliable base of evidence that can explain the individual, social and political factors that shape the HIV-vulnerability of male sex workers in Nairobi and (2) to set up a community-based intervention that can address these various levels of vulnerability. This project will contribute to a dynamic collaboration, sponsored by the Gates Foundation, between HIV scientists, health workers, policy makers and community leaders in Kenya, India and Cana
Programme
Operating Grant - PA: HIV/AIDS Res Initiative - Hlth Svs/Population Hlth Stream
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Manitoba, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
CIHR Funding Decisions Database
Tel que publié
Id
287065
Name
Lorway Robert R
Region
Manitoba
Country
Canada
Orgtype
Institution Paid; Research Institution
Instname2
Gender and Health
Theme2
Social / Cultural / Environmental / Population Health
Prcname2
Gender, Sex & Health
Projecttitle
A South to South collaborative project to understand and address the HIV vulnerability of male sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya
Programtype2
Operating Grants
Orgnameinp2
University of Manitoba
Cihramount2
$335,630
Cihrequipment2
$0
Programname2
Operating Grant - PA: HIV/AIDS Res Initiative - Hlth Svs/Population Hlth Stream
Keyworddelim
Biological And Behavioural Assessment; Combatting Homophobia; Community-Based Participatory Research; Ethnography; Health Services Barriers; Hiv Prevention; Male Sex Work; Mixed Methods; South To South Collaborations; Stigma And Discrimination
Abstract
During the early years of the HIV epidemic, a denial by many African governments in acknowledging the existence of HIV/AIDS resulted in incomplete surveillance, leading to an inaccurate understanding of the magnitude of the epidemic as well as those at risk. Furthermore, by the mid-1980s, AIDS in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa was characterized as a heterosexual epidemic with homosexual transmission considered as being absent or occurring at a very low level. Today, HIV prevention and intervention efforts in many parts of Africa continue to primarily center on heterosexual transmission dynamics and grossly fail to encompass the needs of men who have sex with men (MSM). The silence around the homosexual transmission of HIV has been abetted by ongoing human rights violations, homophobic government pronouncements and policies, stigma and violence. Reports of high HIV prevalence and incidence among MSM in Africa have gone virtually unaddressed, until recent calls to action. Previous research conducted by our team shows that a subset of MSM in Nairobi, those who practise sex work, are highly vulnerable to HIV infection. Between 2009 and 2012, 510 male sex workers (MSWs) attended a Nairobi-based clinic. The baseline HIV prevalence was 40.4% and the annual HIV incidence among uninfected participants was 11.8%. Reliable evidence that can explain why this group is highly vulnerable to HIV infection is urgently needed to develop an effective intervention. The proposed study has the following overarching aims: (1) to produce a reliable base of evidence that can explain the individual, social and political factors that shape the HIV-vulnerability of male sex workers in Nairobi and (2) to set up a community-based intervention that can address these various levels of vulnerability. This project will contribute to a dynamic collaboration, sponsored by the Gates Foundation, between HIV scientists, health workers, policy makers and community leaders in Kenya, India and Cana
Competitiondate
201303
Approvedterm2
3 yrs 0 mth
Pinamesdelim
Lorway, Robert R
Approvedterm
3 ans 0 mois
Cihrcontribution2
~ $335,630~ $0~
