We want to hear from you! This national study is all about understanding the experiences and needs of sexual and gender diverse (SGD) im/migrants and refugees, including newcomers, living with HIV in Canada, — and how we can make HIV testing, care, and overall wellbeing better for everyone in SGD im/migrant and refugee communities.
SGD im/migrants often face hate, racism, xenophobia, and anti-LGBTQ+ stigma — barriers that can make it harder to access HIV care. But there are also amazing community programs doing powerful, culturally grounded work. Through this study, we want to learn from both service providers and community members about what’s working, what’s missing, and what real support looks like.
This project is led by Ben Klassen (Community-Based Research Centre), Dr. Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco (University of Toronto), and Dr. Nathan Lachowsky (University of Northern British Columbia) in partnership with community organizations across the country. Funding for the study is provided by Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Who Can Participate?
We’re inviting two groups to take part in one-on-one interviews (about 60–120 minutes) conducted over Zoom:
- SGD im/migrants and refugees, including newcomers, living with HIV
- Service providers who provides services to improve access to HIV care for SGD im/migrants and refugees living with HIV
This is a call for SGD im/migrants and refugees living with HIV (For service provider interviews, please check out a call for service providers.
We are inviting community members who:
- Live in Canada
- Are living with HIV
- Identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, queer, asexual, intersex, or any other sexual and/or gender-diverse identity
- Are an im/migrant or refugee (e.g., newcomers, permanent resident, protected person, refugee claimant, international student, temporary worker, undocumented person, or naturalized citizen) to Canada
- Are 16 years or older
- Can communicate in English, French, or Spanish
We especially welcome voices of newcomers, Indigenous, Black, and other people of colour (IBPOC), trans and non-binary folks, people who use substances, those with precarious immigration status, living in rural or remote areas, or who speak English as a second or additional language.
If you are eligible and selected for an interview, you will receive a $100 honorarium as a token of appreciation.
To participate, please complete the community member interest form here: https://uvicresearch.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afwk6gbtmScwaXA
Have questions? Email us anytime at [email protected] — we’d love to connect!
This study has received ethical approval from the University of Northern British Columbia Research Ethics Board (6010242) and University of Toronto Research Ethics Board (00050666).
If you have any concerns or complaints about your rights as a research participant and/or your experiences while participating in this study, contact the UNBC Office of Research at 250-960‑6735 or by e-mail at [email protected].
