Black Resilience: A Strategic Asset for Engaging Heterosexual Black Canadian Men in Community Responses to HIV.

Black people's disproportionate burden of HIV in Canada has raised questions about whether they are sufficiently resilient to HIV, and how to promote resilience. In this paper, we critically examine the issue of resilience among heterosexual Black men in four large Canadian cities (Ottawa, Toronto, London, and Windsor). In 2016, a team of researchers engaged self-identified heterosexual Black men in critical reflection on HIV-related resilience and vulnerability, with the goal of identifying pathways to strengthen their involvement in community responses to HIV. In total, 56 men participated in in-depth interviews and 154 participated in 21 focus groups. The team also organized six focus groups (N = 41) with policymakers, service providers, and community leaders. All four cities participated in a multi-stage iterative process to identify the thematic content of the data. Three overarching sources of resilience emerged from our critical interpretive analysis: (1) bonding with other men, (2) strong commitment to family and community, and (3) demonstrating self-confidence and self-determination. These sources of resilience illustrate the value of love as a driving force for collective action on social justice, support for family and community, and self-determination. These expressions of love support heterosexual Black men to resist or negotiate the structural challenges and gendered ideologies that make them vulnerable to HIV. Based on our analysis, we propose the concept of Black resilience that transcends merely bouncing back from or accommodating to adversity; instead, we understand Black resilience as a predisposition that motivates strategic resistance to systemic disadvantage that undermines Black people's health and wellbeing.

De-problematizing masculinity among heterosexual African, Caribbean, and Black male youth and men.

OBJECTIVES: The dominant discourse in literature often constructs heterosexual African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) masculinity as inherently problematic and in need of "correction, repair, or rescue." This discourse privileges hegemonic male standards and conceals the power relations that shape racialized masculinities. Our study of self-identified heterosexual ACB men and male youth examines how performative and perceptual attenuations of hegemonic masculinity can moderate social and behavioural vulnerabilities in the context of HIV prevention, transmission, and survival. METHODS: We used descriptive qualitative methods informed by community-based participatory research. Individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 63 ACB men and male youth (aged 16 and above) residing in Ottawa, Canada, including community leaders, HIV service providers, and decision makers. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed with NVivo software. Member-checking, peer debriefing, and external audit ensured trustworthiness of data. RESULTS: ACB men and male youth define masculinity by their ability to provide for, protect, love, and lead their families. Within ACB cultures, men demonstrate their masculinity through their traditional role as family breadwinners, and are expected to be strong, bold, and responsible. This positive view of masculinity is potentially beneficial to the well-being of ACB men and male youth, and challenges mainstream notions of Black masculinity as uncontrolled, risky, toxic, or even predatory. CONCLUSION: A positive view of masculinity among ACB heterosexual men and youth could support future practice and policy interventions aimed at strengthening community responses to HIV and health.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Le discours dominant dans la littérature spécialisée construit souvent la masculinité hétérosexuelle africaine, caribéenne et noire (ACN) comme étant problématique en soi et nécessitant « correction, réparation ou sauvetage ¼. Ce discours privilégie les normes masculines hégémoniques et cache les relations de pouvoir qui façonnent des masculinités racisées. Notre étude auprès d'hommes ACN adultes et plus jeunes s'identifiant comme étant hétérosexuels cherche à déterminer si des atténuations performatives et perceptuelles de la masculinité hégémonique peuvent modérer les vulnérabilités sociales et comportementales dans le contexte de la prévention du VIH, de la transmission du virus et de la survie. MéTHODE: Nous avons utilisé des méthodes qualitatives descriptives éclairées par la recherche participative communautaire. Des entretiens individuels en profondeur et des groupes de discussion ont été menés avec 63 hommes ACN adultes et plus jeunes (16 ans et plus) vivant à Ottawa, au Canada, dont des responsables locaux, des dispensateurs de services en matière de VIH et des décideurs. Les entretiens ont été transcrits mot à mot, puis analysés par thème à l'aide du logiciel NVivo. Une vérification des membres, une séance-bilan avec des pairs et un audit externe ont assuré la fiabilité des données. RéSULTATS: Les hommes ACN adultes et plus jeunes définissent la masculinité selon leur capacité de protéger, d'aimer et de diriger leur famille et de subvenir à ses besoins. Dans les cultures ACN, les hommes prouvent leur masculinité en jouant le rôle traditionnel de soutiens de famille et sont censés être forts, audacieux et responsables. Cette image positive de la masculinité, potentiellement favorable au bien-être des hommes ACN adultes et plus jeunes, remet en question la notion de la masculinité noire comme étant incontrôlable, risquée, toxique ou même prédatrice. CONCLUSION: Une image positive de la masculinité chez les hommes hétérosexuels ACN adultes et plus jeunes pourrait appuyer de futures interventions axées sur les pratiques et les politiques visant à renforcer la riposte communautaire au VIH et la santé.

Global Food Insecurity and African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Rapid Review.

BACKGROUND: The global food insecurity reinforces the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on human health and mortality. Although literature remained sparse, reports indicated that food insecurity is disproportionately high among African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) population since the outset of COVID-19. Hence, we assessed the food insecurity conditions of ACB populations globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Comprehensive searches in CINAHL, Medline (Ovid), PubMed (Medline), Food Science and Technology Abstracts, SCOPUS, EMBASE, AMED, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane Library (OVID), and PsycINFO were carried out. Title/abstract and full-text screening, quality appraisal (modified JBI QARI), and data extraction were carried out by double reviewers. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 354 articles. After removal of duplicates and irrelevant articles, a full-text review and critical appraisal, 9 papers were included in the study. After data extraction and synthesis, six major themes emerged from the analysis: increased food insecurity, adverse health outcomes of food insecurity, exacerbation of existing disparities, systemic inequities and adverse policies, racism, and sociocultural response and solutions. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: The study showed that COVID-19 had exacerbated food insecurity and other health disparities within racialized populations including ACB people, due to systemic anti-Black racism; inadequate representation in decision-making; and issues of cultural appropriateness and competency of health services. While sociocultural response by ACB people through the expansion of their social capital is imperative, specific policies easing access to food, medicine, and shelter for racialized communities will ensure equity while reducing global food insecurity and health crises during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A/C study protocol: a cross-sectional study of HIV epidemiology among African, Caribbean and Black people in Ontario.

INTRODUCTION: African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities are disproportionately infected by HIV in Ontario, Canada. They constitute only 5% of the population of Ontario yet account for 25% of new diagnoses of HIV. The aim of this study is to understand underlying factors that augment the HIV risk in ACB communities and to inform policy and practice in Ontario. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a cross-sectional study of first-generation and second-generation ACB adults aged 15-64 in Toronto (n=1000) and Ottawa (n=500) and collect data on sociodemographic information, sexual behaviours, substance use, blood donation, access and use of health services and HIV-related care. We will use dried blood spot testing to determine the incidence and prevalence of HIV infection among ACB people, and link participant data to administrative databases to investigate health service access and use. Factors associated with key outcomes (HIV infection, testing behaviours, knowledge about HIV transmission and acquisition, HIV vulnerability, access and use of health services) will be evaluated using generalised linear mixed models, adjusted for relevant covariates. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been reviewed and approved by the following Research Ethics Boards: Toronto Public Health, Ottawa Public Health, Laurentian University; the University of Ottawa and the University of Toronto. Our findings will be disseminated as community reports, fact sheets, digital stories, oral and poster presentations, peer-reviewed manuscripts and social media.