Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Communication of risk is essential to end HIV transmission. Outreach workers are instrumental to directly inform those most at risk. Communication can be made less effective due to low health literacy levels, and stigma can increase the challenge of effective HIV risk communication. In order to surmount these obstacles, it is essential to understand the most effective means to communicate HIV risk and to explore the challenges outreach workers face. Literature reviews of HIV risk communication articles were conducted examining effective interventions for communicating effectively about HIV. Focus groups were conducted with outreach workers (N = 20) who work with at-risk populations in Ontario, including: gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM); street involved people; people who inject drugs (PWID); African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities; indigenous groups, and women. Audio recordings from focus groups were transcribed and a thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo. The literature review highlighted the importance of providing information that contextualizes HIV risk. For instance, information about the causes and consequences of HIV creates a sense of personal relevance which makes risk information easier for clients to remember and understand. Analysis of focus group data revealed that one of the more effective strategies outreach workers employ is using their language and tone to create judgement-free spaces that work to build trust and comfort in their clients. However, outreach workers may need training to assess the needs of their clients, including diverse strategies to communicate effectively with clients who do not understand the outreach workers' initial approach. The results provide unique insights into the communication of HIV risk conducted by outreach workers in Ontario: the challenges, the successes, and the opportunities for improvements. These findings will help inform policy and future program planning.