The Engage Cohort Study is Canadian collaboration between researchers and community-based organizations on HIV and sexual health among gay, bi, and queer men, including trans men, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Canada. Its three primary aims are to provide research evidence to inform HIV and STBBI prevention initiatives for Canadian GBM, build capacity for a pan-Canadian network on HIV and sexual health research for GBM, and integrate community engagement into all stages of the project to enhance community-researcher collaboration and bidirectional knowledge exchange.
The main components of the Engage Cohort Study include:
- A multi-site longitudinal study in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
- A quantitative and biomedical component that measures prevalent and recent infections of HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) among GBM populations of these major Canadian cities. This will allow researchers to assess variations across regions over time and conduct detailed analyses linking prevention efforts to health outcomes.
- A qualitative component that delves more deeply into the issues that impact the sexual and mental health of Canadian GBM (e.g., Canadian blood donation policies, access to mental health services, the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Community Engagement: Each study city (Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal) will have an actively involved community engagement committee whose function is to galvanize interest and participation in research among communities of GBM.
The Engage Cohort Study is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN), The Canadian HIV Trials Network (CTN), and the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR).
Find out more at engage-men.ca!