CARE
With the first objective of the SHARE study aiming to focus specifically on Indigenous experiences with HIV care and treatment, this focused sub-study of SHARE will examine the care experiences of Indigenous People living with HIV (IPLWH) within British Columbia (BC).
For CARE (the Community, Aboriginal, Relationships, Experience Study), semi-structured
Talking Circles with Indigenous People living with HIV (IPLWH) will be conducted to collect
IPLWH’s stories and experiences surrounding their HIV care. The project’s Indigenous
Research Coordinator, Indigenous Research Assistant and an Indigenous Peer Research Associate (IPRA), along with an Elder, will guide the Talking Circles, which will be held at a community venue within each health authority.
The goal of this study is to identify the contextual obstacles and pathways to HIV treatment engagement and re-engagement among Indigenous Peoples living in BC. This study has three research objectives:
- What are the stories of strength, survivance and success in regard to HIV treatment engagement and re-engagement?
- What are the pervasive obstacles in care experienced by Indigenous People living with HIV in BC?
- What are the most important qualities of care for Indigenous clients who may need additional support to start or re-engage in treatment?
STUDIES MENU
Project Update
Since launching the study, the CARE team has completed Talking Circles in Nanaimo (November 2025), Prince George (January 2026), Fraser Region (March 2026), Kelowna (March 2026) and the Downtown Eastside (July 2026). We are grateful to the participants and community partners who have helped guide this work and ensure these regions are meaningfully represented in the study.
Conference Note
The CARE team presented at the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) 2026 conference in spring 2026, sharing our work on the application of Talking Circles as an Indigenous methodology in HIV research. We had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with researchers, community members, and partners, and appreciated the thoughtful discussions and connections that emerged from the conference.
Knowledge Translation
The team is currently in the coding phase for all the circles and are developing a Knowledge Translation plan in collaboration with KÃlala Lelum. Talking circle participants will be invited to guide how findings are shared and to inform what they would like to see come from this research.
CARE Participants
Are you eligible to participate?
- HIV positive;
- Self-identify as Indigenous;
- 19 years of age or older;
- Able to understand and verbally respond to interview questions in English;
- Able and willing to provide informed consent;
- Able to provide informed consent to their involvement in the study and consent for the Talking Circles to be recorded and transcribed.
What does my participation involve?
If you are eligible to participate in the study, you will be invited to an in-person talking circle with approximately nine to eleven other Indigenous participants. The discussion of the circles will be semi-structured and last approximately 2-3 hours. The discussion will include questions about your experiences of HIV care, the importance of community in treatment, integration of traditional medicines and more. All participants will receive lunch and refreshments during the session. We may also try to accommodate one on one interviews for those who are uncomfortable participating in a group setting.
All participants will receive a $100 cash honorarium after completing a sharing circle session.
How do I participate?
In-Person Interview Locations
British Columbia
- Nanaimo - November 2025
- Prince George - January 2026
- Fraser Health Region – March 2026
- Downtown Eastside in Partnership with KÃlala Lelum Health Centre (July 2026)
- Kelowna – May 2026
Study Team
| Study Team: 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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| Study Staff: | |
| Nicole North Peigan - Research Assistant | |
| Claudette Cardinal - Peer Research Associate | Community Partners: |
| Dr. Chenoa Cassidy-Matthews | Dr. Maya Gislason |
| Dr. Robert Hogg | Dr. Dee Hoyano |
| Dr. Rakel Kling | Mr. Mathew Fleury |
| Ms. Kathy Lepik | Dr. Surita Parashar |
| Dr. Karin Goodison | Ms. Meaghan Thumath |
| Dr. Matthew Moher | Dr. Aamir Bharmal |