HiFi Lab develops and tests culturally-responsible intervention strategies that can be integrated and targeted to address determinants of HIV infection among African and African diaspora communities. Our research projects employ a range of research traditions, designs and methods including randomized controlled trials, structural equation modeling, ethnography and systematic reviews.
Research has shown that certain subpopulations of African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) patients, such as men who have sex with men (MSM), tend to be at higher risk of contracting HIV infections. Yet, the uptake of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) remains low among this subpopulation in the Black community. Several factors are associated with low PrEP uptake by Black MSM including cost and low rate of healthcare providers prescribing PrEP for MSM. .
Prior research conducted by the HiFi lab has shown that healthcare providers view a lack of experience working with Black communities as an important barrier that lowers the number of Black patients able to access PrEP. Moreover, approximately 96% of the healthcare providers interviewed (from 10 different Toronto health agencies) thought that learning how to provide culturally responsive care would greatly help them improve how they deliver care to their clients.
To respond to these healthcare gaps, the HiFi lab identified a workshop created by the Center for Community Practice of University of Rochester – Culturally Responsive PrEP Services for Black MSM, as a tool that can be used to increase the capacity of healthcare providers in provision of culturally appropriate PrEP services to Black MSM in Ontario. The aim of this study is to utilize the ADAPT ITT process to adapt the workshop to the Canadian context; develop the workshop for delivery through the ECHO model, and pilot test it in selected organizations to determine the intervention’s acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility.