An Examination of Resilience to HIV/AIDS Among Middle-aged and Older Men Who Have Sex With Men: Resources, Strengths, and Protective Factors
There is considerable resilience among middle-aged and older (40y/o+) men who have sex with men (MSM) to HIV/AIDS. Despite being part of a population at increased risk for acquiring HIV, many 40y/o+ MSM have remained HIV-negative since the start of the epidemic. Among HIV-positive 40y/o+ MSM, many have exhibited resilience to HIV/AIDS not only by surviving its adverse clinical and social impacts, but also by living active and full lives; fiercely advocating for their rights, and health care and service needs; and staunchly supporting and promoting prevention and intervention programs dedicated to ending HIV/AIDS. Using the principles and tenets of Community-Based Research, and through the analysis of interviews with 40y/o+ MSM in our project, we will examine the resources, strengths, and protective factors they possess that prevent HIV acquisition and transmission in the MSM community, and allow them to thrive in a society that may not be ready to meet the growing health care and service needs of a burgeoning number of 40y/o+ MSM. By doing so, we hope to generate new knowledge and lessons that will inform and influence existing and developing policies and programs dedicated to preventing HIV acquisition and transmission, and meeting the needs of 40y/o+ MSM in the future.
Team Members:
Lori Ross, Principal Investigator (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto)
Paul Shuper, Principal Investigator (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
Tammy Yates, Principal Investigator (Realize, formerly Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation)
Renato (Rainier) Liboro, Community-Based Research Postdoctoral Fellow, Co-Investigator (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)
Francisco IbaƱez-Carrasco, Co-Investigator, Senior Research Associate (Centre for Urban Health Solutions)
Andrew Eaton, Collaborator (Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto)
Daniel Pugh, Collaborator (Sherbourne Health Centre LGBT Health Team)
Claudia Medina, Collaborator (Latinos Positivos)
Celeste Joseph, Collaborator (Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples)
Garfield Durant, Collaborator (Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention)
Praney Anand, Collaborator (Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention)
Main Contact:
Renato (Rainier) M. Liboro (rainier.liboro@camh.ca; rmliboro@gmail.com)
Funding:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Operating Grant