Afro-Canadian communities living with HIV in Canada are disproportionately affected by racism, discrimination and HIV stigma. Barriers to health services include those related to im/migration and being newcomers to Canada; socioeconomic barriers; heightened policing; surveillance and violence; social and structural racism and discrimination; and HIV stigma. Given that HIV care and treatment is managed at a provincial level, it remains critical to understand the unique experiences of racism, discrimination and HIV stigma of Afro-Canadian people living with HIV in British Columbia.
The three-year (2022-2025) Drive for change (DFC) project is guided by a community-based Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, whereby the research question comes from the community, and will produce findings that can support the community to take action to effect change.
Through DFC, our team will work with the community to create a report, alongside other knowledge translation and exchange materials and documents, to bring to light racism, discrimination and HIV stigma experienced by Afro-Canadian people living with HIV in the health system; this will include recommendations for systemic changes. We will also create culturally appropriate resources to describe a peer navigation program to support Afro-Canadian people living with HIV on their journeys within the health system. These resources might include a toolkit and comprehensive training guide tailored for the Afro-Canadian community.
Building on ongoing community partnerships for almost a decade, Ms. Patience Magagula (Executive Director, Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC [ACPNet]) approached the Centre for Gender & Sexual Health Equity (CGSHE) researchers to share research priorities. Through a series of consultations between CGSHE researchers and members of the ACPNet community, the following research/project objectives were identified.
Research/Project Objectives
Drive for Change (DFC) project employs mixed methods within a PAR approach to address systemic racism in health care among Afro-Canadian people living with HIV in BC. DFC project will address the following research questions:
- What are the gendered experiences of racism, discrimination and HIV stigma in the health care system of Afro-Canadian people living with HIV?
- What are the core components of a peer navigation program to address the effects of gendered racism and discrimination in the health care system among Afro-Canadian people living with HIV?
- What is the usability, feasibility and acceptability of a peer navigation program among Afro-Canadian people living with HIV?
About Drive For Change
Team
Principal Investigators: Dr. Kathleen Deering & Patience Magagula
Co-Investigators: Dr. Andrea Krusi, Dr. Emmanuela Ojukwu, Dr. Nathan Lachowsky, Dr. Ngozi Joe-Ikechebelu, Desire King, Jean Nsengiyumva, Antonio Marante Changir.
Research Project team: Ibukun Kayode (Project Coordinator) & Patience Magagula, Jean Nsengiyumva (Community Leads)
Partners
Primary Community Partner: Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC
Funders
Vancouver Foundation (Participatory Action Research (Investigate) Grant, 2022-2025)