SHAPE
The STOP HIV/AIDS® Program Evaluation (SHAPE) study first launched in 2016 in order to characterize healthcare experiences and outcomes among people living with HIV, as well as characterize retention across the cascade of care for HIV. The ‘first phase’ of the SHAPE study wrapped in September 2021, which captured the experiences of 644 people living with HIV across BC. We continue to share research findings from SHAPE and have brought back our findings to partnering sites across the province. To read more about the first wave of SHAPE, please see here.
After several years of consultation and planning, the SHAPE “2.0” study was launched in 2024. The study aims to characterize access and experiences of HIV care, and healthcare more broadly, as well as identify unmet needs and opportunities for care improvements among a cohort of PLWH across BC. In response to the changing landscape of many folks aging with HIV, the growing importance of mental health and substance use issues, and the prevalent chronic comorbidities that are uniquely impacting PLWH, the study also aims to inform policymakers, healthcare system administrators, and community-based organizations of areas of focus in order to improve the health of PLWH in BC.
The SHAPE survey was open for two years and more than 1,300 people living with HIV have participated. We really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to complete the survey and share their voices with us! We are also grateful for our fantastic partners who have been supporting the project across the province.
Now, the study team is working on the SHAPE results alongside people living with HIV, representatives from community organizations, health authorities, government, healthcare providers, and other researchers. The SHAPE team meets regularly with the project Steering Committee, who advises every step of the project to ensure that it is responsive to the needs, priorities, and values of the community.
If you would like to learn more about the project, the SHAPE data, and how to join the Steering Committee, please email the SHAPE team at shape@bccfe.ca, call our toll-free at 1 (855) 506-8615 or call/text our study cell at (604) 561-5836.
Findings will be continuously posted on our website. If you want to stay updated on the project, please subscribe to our BC-CfE newsletter here (select “SHAPE”).
STUDIES MENU
Want to know more about SHAPE 2.0?
Email us at shape@bccfe.ca, call our toll-free at 1 (855) 506-8615 or call/text our study cell at (604) 561-5836.
SHAPE 2.0 Newsletters
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Study Team
| Principal Investigators: Dr. Julio SG Montaner Executive Director and Physician-in-Chief BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Dr. David Moore Research Scientist BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Dr. Kate Salters Research Scientist BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS |
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| Co-Investigators: | |
| Dr. Robert Hogg | Dr. Mike Benusic |
| Scott Emerson | Meaghan Thumath |
| Robin Yates | Dr. Viviane Lima |
| Dr. Surita Parashar | Junine Toy |
| Dr. Rakel Kling | Dr. Maulik Baxi |
| Dr. Jonathan Malo | |
| Community Partners: | |
| Cool Aid Community Health Centre | Ribbon Community |
| Kilala Lelum | Pacific AIDS Network |
| Insite | The Hope to Health Primary Care Clinic and Supervised Consumption Site |
| McLaren Housing Society | Heath Initiative for Men (HIM) |
| Three Bridges Community Health Centre | Downtown Community Health Centre |
| Prince George Infectious Diseases Clinic & Regional Specialized Support Team | Ribbon Community |
| Spectrum Health | Dr Peter Centre |
| Vancouver Friends For Life Society | Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users |
| Oak Tree Clinic, Women's Health Research Institute | Positive Health Services, Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre |
| Positive Haven Resource Centre, Lookout Housing and Health Society | Positive Wellness HIV and North Island Liver Services |
| AVI Health and Community Services | ASK Wellness Society |
| Island Sexual Health Community Health Centre | Kamloops Infectious Disease clinic (the Juniper Clinic), Royal Inland Hospital |
| Infectious Diseases clinic, Kelowna General Hospital | Martin Street Outreach Centre |
| High Acuity Support Program (HASP), Soonats’ooneh (formerly Central Interior Native Health Society) | Northern Interior Health Unit |
| Kelowna Community Health and Services Centre | Kamloops Health Unit |
| AIDS Network Kootenay Outreach and Support (ANKORS) | AND MANY MORE... |
| Study Staff: | |
| Giulia Maluf Research Coordinator |
Antonio Marante Peer Research Associate |
| Tim Wesseling Peer Research Associate |
Nicole North Peigan Indigenous Research Assistant |
Publications, Posters and Presentations
SHAPE Factsheet
The first phase of the Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention of HIV/AIDS (STOP HIV/AIDS) Program Evaluation study (SHAPE 1.0) examined factors influencing how people progress along the HIV cascade of care, how they access care, as well as their attitudes and behaviours towards HIV care over time through a baseline and two follow-up surveys taken about 18 months apart from people living with HIV in BC.
Examining Disparities in HIV Treatment Outcomes by Degree of Rurality and Metropolitan Influence in British Columbia, Canada: 2016 - 2023
34th Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Poster Presentation.
Azarmju, F., Iny, S., Wang, L., Chan, M., Salters, K., Trigg, J., Parashar, S., Lima, V., Sereda, P., Hogg, R., Wesseling, T., Marante Changir, A., Montaner, J., Barrios, R., Moore, D. (2025). Examining Disparities in HIV Treatment Outcomes by Degree of Rurality and Metropolitan Influence in British Columbia, Canada: 2016 - 2023. 34th Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Poster Presentation.
Psychosocial and structural factors and changes in quality of life measures among people living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
AIDS Care
Julia Clark, Tian Shen, Laura Weir, Kate Salters, Jason Trigg, Jermia Foncham, Rolando Barrios, Tim Wesseling, Antonio Marante Changir & David M. Moore (2026). Psychosocial and structural factors and changes in quality of life measures among people living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
Impacts of overdose and socio-structural factors on recent mortality among people with HIV in British Columbia Canada
AIDS
Tam, Clara; Zhang, Wendy; Moore, David; Salters, Kate; Trigg, Jason; Wesseling, Tima; Parashar, Surita; McLinden, Taylor; Sereda, Paul; McDougall, Patrick; Moher, Matthew; Montaner, Julio S.G.; Hogg, Robert; Barrios, Rolando (2025). Impacts of overdose and socio-structural factors on recent mortality among people with HIV in British Columbia, Canada
Individual characteristics and time-updated factors associated with antiretroviral treatment interruptions among people living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
HIV Medicine
Jermia Foncham, Farnaz Azarmju, Tian Shen, Kate Salters, Jason Trigg, Rolando Barrios, Robert S. Hogg, Matthew Moher, Marion Selfridge, Rakel Kling, Kartik Arora, Tim Wesseling, Antonio Marante Changir, Julio S. G. Montaner, David M. Moore. Individual characteristics and time-updated factors associated with antiretroviral treatment interruptions among people living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada
It’s all about connection: Determinants of social support and the influence on HIV treatment interruptions among people living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
BMC Public Health
Clara Tam,Tim Wesseling, Lu Wang, Kate Salters, David M Moore, Nicole Dawydiuk, Julia Zhu, Sean Grieve, Brittany Bingham, Taylor McLinden, Robert Hogg, Rolando Barrios It’s all about connection: Determinants of social support and the influence on HIV treatment interruptions among people living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada
Evaluating experiences of HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV diagnosed in different treatment eras in British Columbia Canada
AIDS Care
Clara Tam, Lu Wang, Kate Salters, David Moore, Tim Wesseling, Sean Grieve, Rebeccah Parry, Justin Barath, Robert Hogg
& Rolando Barrios. Evaluating experiences of HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV diagnosed in different treatment eras in British Columbia, Canada
Depressive Symptoms the Impact on ART Continuation and Factors Associated with Symptom Improvement Among a Cohort of People Living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research
Tatiana E. Pakhomova, Clara Tam, Lu Wang, Kate Salters, David M. Moore, Justin Barath, Simon Elterman, Nicole Dawydiuk, Tim Wesseling, Sean Grieve, Paul Sereda, Robert Hogg & Rolando Barrios. Depressive Symptoms the Impact on ART Continuation and Factors Associated with Symptom Improvement Among a Cohort of People Living with HIV in British Columbia Canada
Access to Care and Impacts on HIV Treatment Interruptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among People LIving with HIV in British Columbia, Canada.
31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research
Moore, D., Tam, C., Wang, L., Salters, K., Chia, J., Trigg, J., Sereda, P., Dawydiuk, N., Wesseling, T., Grieve, S., Hogg, R., & Barrios, R. (2022). Access to Care and Impacts on HIV Treatment Interruptions During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among People LIving with HIV in British Columbia, Canada. 31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Oral Presentation.
Improvements in ART Initiation Over Time After Diagnosis Among Indigenous People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada
31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research
Dawydiuk, N., Shen, T., Salters, K., Moore, D., Tam, C., Pakhomova, T., Nicholson, V., Cardinal, C., Pooyak, S., Wesseling, T., Grieve, S., Hogg, R., & Barrios, R. (2022). Improvements in ART Initiation Over Time After Diagnosis Among Indigenous People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada. 31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Oral Presentation.
Factors Associated with Mortality in a Cohort of People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada
31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Oral Presentation
Tam, C., Salters, K., Moore, D., Zhang, W., Trigg, J., Wesseling, T., Grieve, S., Parashar, S., McLinden, T., Sereda, P., Moher, M., McDougall, P., Hogg, R., & Barrios, R. (2022). Factors Associated with Mortality in a Cohort of People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada. 31st Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research, Oral Presentation.
Evaluating Experiences of HIV-related Stigma Among People Living with HIV Diagnosed in Different Treatment Eras in British Columbia, Canada
May 2021
Tam, C., Wang, L., Barath, J., Wesseling, T., Grieve, S., Salters, K., Moore, D., Hogg, R., & Barrios, R. (2021). Evaluating Experiences of HIV-related Stigma Among People Living with HIV Diagnosed in Different Treatment Eras in British Columbia, Canada. 30th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research.
Reported patient experiences of HIV diagnosis and linkage to care before and after implementation of a population-wide Treatment as Prevention® program.
May 2020
Tattersall TL, Wesseling T, Grieve S, Wang L, Bever A, Tam C, et al. Reported patient experiences of HIV diagnosis and linkage to care before and after implementation of a population-wide Treatment as Prevention® program. In: 23rd international AIDS Conference. San Francisco, CA; 2020.
Factors associated with HIV-related stigma among individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy in British Columbia, Canada
July 2019
Bever A, Grieve S, Wang L, Chau W, McLinden T, Wesseling T, et al. Factors associated with HIV-related stigma among individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy in British Columbia, Canada. In: HIV/ STI World Congress. 2019.
Characteristics of Individuals with Significant Depressive Symptoms among People Living with HIV in British Columbia
May 2020
Tam C, Wang L, Barath J, Wesseling T, Grieve S, Salters K, et al. Characteristics of Individuals with Significant Depressive Symptoms among People Living with HIV in British Columbia. In: Canadian Association for HIV Research Conference: Hope, Victories, and Perseverance beyond 2020. Virtual - Quebec City, Quebec; May 2020.
The Role of Peer Research Associates in Collecting Data in Longitudinal Health Surveys
2020
Tam C, Wang L, Bacani N, Wesseling T, Grieve S, Salters K, et al. The Role of Peer Research Associates in Collecting Data in Longitudinal Health Surveys. In: Canadian Association for HIV Research Conference: Hope, Victories, and Perseverance beyond 2020. Virtual - Quebec City, Quebec; 2020.
Cohort profile: the STOP HIV/AIDS® Program Evaluation (SHAPE) study in British Columbia, Canada
May 2020
Andrea Bever, Kate Salters, Clara Tam, D M Moore, Paul Sereda, Lu Wang, Tim Wesseling, Sean Grieve, Brittany Bingham, Rolando Barrios
Prospective Changes in Clinical Outcomes Among People Living with HIV Who Have Previously Achieved Virologic Suppression
May 2019
Andrea Bever, Brittany Bingham, Taylor McLinden, Lu Wang, William Chau, Sean Grieve, Tim Wesseling, Kate Salters, David Moore and Rolando Barrios. Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR 2019). Oral Presentation.
Social Support is Associated with Lower Likelihood of HIV Treatment Interruptions in British Columbia, Canada
May 2019
Tim Wesseling, Andrea Bever, Taylor McLinden, Lu Wang, William Chau, Brittany Bingham, Sean Grieve, Kate Salters, David Moore and Rolando Barrios. Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR 2019). Poster Presentation.
Prevalence and Predictors of Viral Suppression among People Living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from the SHAPE Study
Jul 2018
Andrea Bever, Kate Salters, Taylor McLinden, Clara Wang, Nic Bacani, Justin Barath, Paul Sereda, Lianping Ti, Surita Parashar, Caitlin Olatunbosun, Gina McGowan, Robert Hogg, Rolando Barrios. The Internationals AIDS Conference (AIDS) 2018. Poster Presentation.
Cohort Profile: The STOP HIV/AIDS® Program Evaluation (SHAPE) Study
Apr 2018
Andrea Bever, Sean Grieve, Kate Salters, Lianping Ti, Surita Parashar, Caitlin Olatunbosun, Gina McGowan, Robert Hogg, Rolando Barrios. Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) 2018. Poster Presentation.
Determinants of viral suppression among people living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada: Preliminary findings from the SHAPE study
Apr 2018
Andrea Bever, Kate Salters, Clara Wang, Nic Bacani, Paul Sereda, Lianping Ti, Surita Parashar, Caitlin Olatunbosun, Gina McGowan, Robert Hogg, Rolando Barrios. Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) 2018. Oral Presentation.