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Researcher Josephine Pui-Hing Wong is working to reverse a potentially life-threatening trend among ethno-racial communities.

“The stigmatization of HIV/AIDS runs very high in many communities, and acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS is only happening at a surface level,” explains Wong, Nursing ’84, of Ryerson’s Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing.  She is also a member of the Committee for Accessible AIDS Treatment (CAAT), a coalition of individuals and agencies who provide health, social and legal services to immigrants, refugees and non-status people living with HIV/AIDS. In 2009, CAAT won an Access, Equity and Human Rights Award from the City of Toronto for its work to address mental health issues among people living with HIV/AIDS.

As part of her work with CAAT, Wong is currently co-principal investigator of the research study, “Mobilizing ethno-racial leaders in the faith-based, media and social justice sectors to reduce HIV related stigma and discrimination.” The project is generating knowledge to guide the creation of HIV-prevention strategies. 

The current study, funded by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network, is based on the results of a study completed by CAAT in 2008 on access to mental health services by immigrants, refugees and non-status people living with HIV/AIDS (IRN-PHAs), and epidemiological data that suggests many newcomers from countries where HIV rates are high actually contracted HIV after their arrival in Canada. In fact, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, immigrants and refugees have made up 15 to 20 per cent of all new HIV infections in Canada annually since 2002.

To learn why, Wong and her research colleagues are conducting critical community-based research (CCRB) in the East and Southeast Asian, South Asian, African, Caribbean and Spanish-speaking communities of the Greater Toronto Area. “CCRB brings people together and empowers them during the research process, instead of just writing reports about them,” Wong explains. “And it turns research results into tangible actions.”

Her team is exploring intersectoral collaboration as a strategy for HIV-prevention among immigrant populations – namely, faith-based groups, ethno-specific media and social justice organizations. Traditionally, these groups have played an essential role in the settlement and integration of immigrants and refugees. What’s more, ethno-racial populations rely heavily on media for health and health-care information, and ethnic media plays an important role in influencing public opinion on many issues.

Presently, however, ethno-racial faith, media and social justice organizations are playing a limited role in HIV prevention, education and support. The consequences: reinforced stigma and discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, and an inadequate community response to HIV/AIDS because it simply isn’t considered a priority.
 
Many faith-based organizations are doing significant health-promotion work in such areas as cardiovascular health and sexual abstinence. Stigma and discrimination, however, preclude candid discussions of HIV/AIDS. This situation interferes with HIV prevention efforts by discouraging HIV disclosure, early testing and timely treatment; by increasing social isolation; and by adding to mental distress in affected communities.

“People are now better able to manage their HIV as a chronic condition, but you must be diagnosed early to benefit from HIV treatment,” Wong says. “If people don’t get the treatment they need, or if they go on-and-off their medication, the virus will mutate and become even more difficult to treat – and that’s not good for the community, as a whole.”

But without open discussions and dialogues within ethno-racial communities, people remain in denial about the true impact of HIV. Furthermore, they won’t take adequate measures to prevent it. The solution, Wong says, is to move acceptance of people with HIV/AIDS to a deeper level. But how to achieve that?

Wong thinks more effective intersectoral partnerships are needed with HIV/AIDS, faith, media and social justice organizations. This, in turn, will increase community awareness and level of engagement on HIV/AIDS issues.

On that note, the researchers conducted seven focus groups with IRN-PHAs, and leaders of the media, social justice, and faith sectors. The goal was to define the problems facing immigrants and pinpoint the groups that need to be targeted for HIV-prevention messages. Later, the researchers and community members will work together to identify solutions, and to implement and evaluate them through pilot programs aimed at reducing HIV stigma.

Today, the project is still in its early stages. But even still, says Wong, the research team has succeeded in engaging over 60 motivated and committed leaders. “There have been many challenges,” she admits, “but passion is what keeps us going.”

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