PANACHE: Preferences And Needs for Aging Care among HIV-positive Elderly people in Canada

About the Survey

The goal of this community-based research study is to gather information from people aging with HIV in Canada (age 60+) about their current and anticipated healthcare and social needs and preferences. The information gathered during this study will help us make program and policy recommendations about what kinds of services and resources would be most useful to older adults living with HIV in Canada. 

The project is seeking to include 500 people living with HIV age 60+ across Canada. Participation in the study includes completing a survey, either online or with remote support from a Community Researcher. The survey is expected to take about 90 minutes to complete and participants will be compensated for their time.

What the Survey Asks: The survey includes a range of questions about health and well-being, social support and healthcare needs and access, as well as socio-economic information (e.g. personal background). Asking these questions will help us to better understand such issues as:

• Whether older people living with HIV from different communities have similar or different needs for services and supports.
• How health impacts overall quality of life. 
• What help, if any, do people need to live independently.
• What types of health care providers are people seeing and what gets in the way of accessing health services.
• What community services are being used and whether support needs are being met.
• What experiences of stigma occur in social or health care settings.

Hearing from participants about these and other questions will allow us to address critical gaps in knowledge, services and resources around the present and future needs of people aging with HIV in Canada.

Community Involvement: As a community-based research project, this project includes a research team and working groups made up of community members, representatives of community-based organizations and other stakeholders. Many members of the research team were also involved in the PANACHE Ontario project (2019). Community Researchers, people who are living and aging with HIV, are involved in all aspects of the project and will lead the data collection by remotely supporting participants to complete the surveys.

Timeline: The survey will be open for approximately one year.

Research Ethics: This study has been reviewed by, and received ethics clearance through, the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board (Protocol # 47060).

Interested in participating?

Complete the study pre-screening:

• Option 1: Online pre-screening. Contact the Research Coordinator at panache@realizecanada.org or 437-505-4333 to receive a link to the online pre-screen questions.
• Option 2: Telephone pre-screening. Contact the Research Coordinator at panache@realizecanada.org or 416-513-0440 ext. 234 to set up a time to complete the pre-screen questions.
  
  *The security of information sent by email cannot be guaranteed. Please do not communicate personal sensitive information by email.

If you are eligible to participate, you will receive an email including a unique link to the survey or the Research Coordinator will schedule an appointment with you to complete the survey with the support of a Community Researcher.

Participant Documents: A copy of the Informed consent form and a resource list of counselling and support services across Canada are available here for participants to download:

Informed Consent Form: (access the form)

Counselling and Support Services Resource List for Participants: (access the resource list)

More information

For more information about the study, contact the Research Coordinator, Christina Lessels, at panache@realizecanada.org or 437-505-4333, or contact one of the Co-Principal Investigators:

Dr. Sharon Walmsley, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, 416-340-3871

Kate Murzin, Director of National Programs, Realize – kmurzin@realizecanada.org

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