Experiences of violence and hospitalization rates among people living with HIV in British Columbia, Canada.

People living with HIV (PLWH) in Canada experience high rates of interpersonal violence which may lead to adverse health outcomes that require hospitalization. Using self-reported data on experiences of violence linked to administrative health data on hospitalizations, we used Poisson regression modelling to examine and compare the associations between experiences of violence (recent [in the past 6 months], non-recent [>6 months ago], or none) and hospitalization rates, among a sample of PLWH in British Columbia, Canada. Of 984 PLWH included in this study, 60.

Secondary use of routinely collected administrative health data for epidemiologic research: Answering research questions using data collected for a different purpose.

The use of routinely collected administrative health data for research can provide unique insights to inform decision-making and, ultimately, support better public health outcomes. Yet, since these data are primarily collected to administer healthcare service delivery, challenges exist when using such data for secondary purposes, namely epidemiologic research. Many of these challenges stem from the researcher's lack of control over the quality and consistency of data collection, and - furthermore - a lessened understanding of the data being analyzed.

Retention in primary care among unstably housed residents of a low-income, inner-city neighborhood with a high prevalence of substance use and related disorders.

Introduction: Access to and engagement with primary healthcare can be difficult for marginalized low-income populations residing in inner cities in high-income countries. We designed a study to examine retention in primary care among clients of a novel interdisciplinary primary care clinic in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada who did not previously have access to care.

Methods: Beginning in June 2021, clients of the Hope to Health clinic were offered enrolment in a cohort study which involved a baseline and follow-up surveys every six months, and linking their data to information from the clinic's electronic medical records.

Associations of CD4 Cell Count Measures With Infection-Related and Infection-Unrelated Cancer Risk Among People With HIV.

Background: People with HIV are at higher risk of infection-related cancers than the general population, which could be due, in part, to immune dysfunction. Our objective was to examine associations between 4 CD4 count measures as indicators of immune function and infection-related and infection-unrelated cancer risk.

Setting: We conducted a cohort study of adults with HIV who were diagnosed with cancer in Ontario, Canada.

Access to care and impact on HIV treatment interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic among people living with HIV in British Columbia.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed healthcare service delivery. We examined the overall impact of COVID-19 on people living with HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada, with a special focus on the potential impact of COVID-19 on antiretroviral treatment interruptions (TIs).

Methods: Purposive sampling was used to enrol people living with HIV aged ≥19 years across BC into the STOP HIV/AIDS Program Evaluation study between January 2016 and September 2018.