Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Building Bridges is a multi-site community-based research project that aims to make epidemiology more accessible to Indigenous communities impacted by HIV. In an initial pilot project, this was achieved through applying Indigenous methodology (characterized by recognizing Indigenous worldviews, knowledge, histories and realities as well as privileging Indigenous voices, peoples and lands) to epidemiology using Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC) collaboration data. CANOC is an integrated network of HIV/AIDS treatment information that includes 11 observational cohort databases across Canada. Among 7,080 CANOC participants who were included in the 2000-2012 dataset, 7% identified as having Indigenous ethnicity. Since that time, CANOC has expanded to include two additional cohorts in Regina and Saskatoon and the total number of participants has increased to 12,805, among whom 9.7% identify as having Indigenous ethnicity. In late 2018, an updated release of CANOC data will present new opportunities to uncover current trends in HIV treatment within key populations, including Indigenous people. As this expanded and updated CANOC data becomes available, supporting Indigenous engagement is essential to ensure study questions and interpretations are relevant to the communities most impacted by the research and conceived in accordance with Indigenous worldviews and ethical standards. We are seeking funds from the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative Planning & Dissemination Grant to support a program of community engagement that encompasses both the planning and dissemination of epidemiology related to HIV among Indigenous peoples. This project is entitled Building Bridges II: Continuing Community Engagement in an Indigenous Health Epidemiology Model. We propose a program of engagement including research planning teleconferences, one Voices of Wisdom Retreat, three concurrent writing workshops, and research dissemination teleconferences.