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Food insecurity (the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate, safe foods, or the inability to acquire foods in a socially acceptable way) is increasingly being seen as a critical determinant of health globally. Research has shown food insecurity is highly related to gender, and current food assistance programming in Metro Vancouver is rarely designed for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S), and youth. There has been little research focused on marginalized youth, particularly street-involved sex workers in high-income countries like Canada.

Research led by the BC-CfE is looking into how social assistance distribution affects individuals who use drugs.

A number of proficient BC-CfE researchers travelled to Durban, South Africa, this year for the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) held from July 18 to 22. Dr. Julio Montaner and Irene Day joined the conference, attended by over 15,000 delegates. Here are some of the highlights.

Dr. Lianping Ti, a Research Scientist for the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) and an Assistant Professor in the Division of AIDS at the University of British Columbia Department of Medicine will present her latest research at the 2016 International AIDS Society conference in Durban, South Africa, July 21, 2016.

The International AIDS Conference is the premier gathering for those working in the field of HIV, as well as policy makers, persons living with HIV and other individuals committed to ending the pandemic. It is a chance to assess where we are, evaluate recent scientific developments and lessons learnt, and collectively chart a course forward.

An HIV diagnosis for many women can have a significant impact on sex, intimacy, and relationships. While treatment today can give women with HIV a near normal life expectancy and reduce the chance of transmission to partners to almost zero, HIV remains heavily stigmatized and criminalized. Little research has been done to understand the sexual and relational lives of women living with HIV.

For her research work on gender-based violence and barriers to accessing HIV treatment, BC-CfE Research Assistant Daniella Barreto has been awarded a Masters Award from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). Daniella completed her bachelor’s in science at Simon Fraser University and is now a master’s of science student in the University of British Columbia School of Population and Public Health.

Research Assistant Elena Argento works with the BC-CfE’s Gender and Sexual Health Initiative (GSHI), and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at UBC in the Interdisciplinary Studies Graduate Program. Her research at the BC-CfE mainly focuses on HIV risks among sex workers in Vancouver. She mines data and surveys from sex workers-both women and men-to uncover the impact of criminalization of their industry on their overall health outcomes.