In June 2020, CTN 300-2 Engage Cohort Study was awarded a CIHR Operating Grant for COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding. This funding will allow the study team to document COVID-19 infection, immunity, and related determinants in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). They will also investigate how information about the measures to stop or slow the spread of COVID-19 are received, understood, and being taken up by this population.
This nested sub-study of the Engage Cohort Study, known as the Engage-COVID-19 Study, aims to respond to pressing knowledge gaps concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
We spoke to the Nominated Principal Investigator Dr. Daniel Grace to find out more. Dr. Grace is an Associate Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Health.
“We will explore the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic on sexual and gender minority men, including how COVID-19 is impacting mental health outcomes, experiences of loneliness, sexual behaviours, substance use patterns, and access to essential healthcare,” explained Dr. Grace. “This population-focused analysis is crucial given that this diverse group has historically experienced significant disparities in physical, mental, and sexual health, amplified by systemic marginalization and high barriers to health care.”
Dr. Daniel Grace
You can read the full piece by Hannah Branch on hivnet.
Engage
July 16th, 2020