The BC-CfE is part of a team of researchers investigating unique health programs in British Columbia and how they effect the well-being of marginalized people living with HIV and AIDS.
Researchers from the BC-CfE and Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation are working with co-investigators from across the country to investigate the impact of Vancouver’s Dr. Peter Centre on the health and treatment-related outcomes of people living with HIV and AIDS. The Dr. Peter Centre offers low-barrier access to services that facilitate greater engagement in health care and support, including services that reduce environmental risk factors and drug-related harms.
“This research seeks to evaluate the impact of integrated care services on the health of individuals living with HIV who experience multiple and complex barriers to accessing care,” said Jasmine Gurm, research coordinator at the BC-CfE. “We hope the results from our research will provide essential information that will guide program development that better engages individuals who face challenges such as homelessness, mental health illness, and addictions into care.”
In addition to a day health program, the Dr. Peter Centre has a residence that provides care to 24 individuals who require 24-hour specialized nursing care, as well as six enhanced supportive housing units. The Dr. Peter Centre is the only facility in North America that incorporates supervised injection services into primary health care programming.
“The Dr. Peter Centre’s innovative approach reduces social-structural barriers, which we believe makes it a model for accessible health care,” said Rosalind Baltzer-Turje, Director of Clinical Programs, Research and Evaluation for the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. “This study is an opportunity to examine the potential applicability of aspects of the Dr. Peter Centre’s integrated care model within similar contexts across Canada and elsewhere.”
Launched this February, researchers are working alongside peer research associates to recruit and interview 150 individuals newly engaged in care at the Dr. Peter Centre. To date, more than 30 individuals have been enrolled.
The three-year community-based research project is funded by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Partnerships for Health Systems Improvement grant and by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. As a study rooted within the community it seeks to engage, the study team has developed a novel approach to hiring Peer Research Associates that was presented at this year’s Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) conference.