Project 463487

In Ontario, African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) women are overrepresented among new HIV diagnoses. This overrepresentation of ACB women is believed to be in part due to social and structural factors, such as HIV-related stigma, gender discrimination, and racial discrimination, which converge to increase vulnerability to HIV infection by reducing access to HIV prevention and care. Given the disproportionate burden of HIV infection among ACB women, the development of HIV interventions to respond to these increased risks is vital. The project builds on three recently completed CIHR- funded studies lead by the PI which include infant feeding practices of ACB women living with HIV, HIV vulnerability and resilience among ACB men and ACB HIV Monitoring and Surveillance. They highlight the need for critical health and racial literacy among providers and community members. Critical health and racial literacy interventions are increasingly being used to promote health especially in the current context of COVID-19 and co-morbidities like HIV. Peer-led programs can be an effective strategy for reaching at-risk populations. Scholars further recognize that ACB communities need to be involved in interventions addressing health inequities. This study seeks to create, implement, and evaluate an ACB community-based peer-led intervention to improve access to HIV prevention and care for ACB women in Ontario. Community-based participatory research (CBPR), guided by intersectionality lens, implementation science and evaluation frameworks will be used to guide the project. The project consists of 5 phases over a 5-year period and builds on a record of inspired and innovative HIV-related work in ACB communities led by ACB women scholars. Evidence on the effectiveness of this innovative, peer-led intervention can be used to inform policies and practice related to HIV prevention and care for ACB women in Canada.