Affiliations: [a]
Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada
| [b]
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| [c] CAAT-Community Alliance for Accessible Treatment, Toronto, Canada
| [d]
Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| [e] Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| [f] Gaiacraxia Consulting, Toronto, Canada
| [g] Memorial University, St. John’s, Canada
| [h] Project PEER Research Team, Toronto, Canada
| [i] Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada
| [j] Casey House, Toronto, Canada
| [k] ARIN, Halifax, Canada
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Gregory E. Harris, Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland, G. A. Hickman Building, P.O. Box 4200, St. John’s A1B 3X8, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. E-mail: gharris@mun.ca.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:As a large number of people live with HIV, it is worthwhile to examine the integration of this group in the workplace. OBJECTIVE:To investigate how the operationalization of GIPA/MEPA supports workplace policies and practices for PLHIV. The study aims to explore what is being offered to support PLHIV in community-based agencies and what can be done to enhance the offerings. METHODS:For this community-based research, 2 bilingual online surveys were sent to 150 Canadian organizations that work closely with PLHIV or offer support to them. One of the surveys was for Executive Directors of these organizations while the other was sent to peers; i.e. PLHIV whose job is to offer services to PLHIV. Questions in the surveys varied between open-ended, binary, and Likert. RESULTS:GIPA/MEPA are implemented in most organizations and Executive Directors affirmed that PLHIV and their impacts on the workplace are valued. There is a consensus among Executive Directors that formal support is provided but most respondents argued that this support is not specific for PLHIV. More than half of respondents were either unaware or uncertain about the existence of informal support. Peer-employees claimed that one of the challenges of disclosing HIV to receive peer support is that they may face stigma. CONCLUSION:The application of GIPA/MEPA results in positive outcomes in the workplace. The study emphasizes the need to facilitate access to informal support.
Keywords: HIV, workplace support, peer support, labor force participation, mental health, community-based research
