Grant: New Investigator Award-PA:Ontario HIV Treatment Network-Health Serv/ Pop Health

There is solid evidence to show that social and economic inequities affect the sexual health of Canadians. At the end of 2008, it was estimated that 65,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in Canada, and 26% of them were not aware of their HIV status. Research also shows that sexually transmitted infections (STI) including HIV/AIDS are not distributed equally across all Canadian populations. Young people who live in neighbourhoods that have high rates of unemployment, low income, lack of access to education, health and social services, and limited community sources tend to have higher rates of STIs. Similarly, newcomer communities bear a disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS. Research results show racism reinforces HIV stigmas and silence about HIV/AIDS within newcomer. The lack of visible HIV champions also leads to community denial about the true impact of HIV/STI in these vulnerable communities. Mobilizing youth and adults in the affected communities to become HIV champions to reduce stigma and promote open discussion about HIV is critical to effective HIV/STI prevention, treatment and care. This program of research will engage young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, newcomers living with HIV/AIDS, and community faith, media and social justice leaders to study how individual factors (e.g., knowledge, attitude, beliefs) and societal factors (e.g., homophobia, poverty, racism, gendered violence) interact to produce conditions that put marginalized groups at higher risk of HIV/STI. Knowledge and insights gained from this research program will be shared with community members, youth, people living with HIV/AIDS, service providers, students in health sciences, researchers, and policy makers. They will also be used to guide the development of effective HIV prevention programs, promote community collaboration to reduce HIV stigma, and inform policy and practice to improve the health outcomes of PHAs, vulnerable groups, and Canadians.