*** This study is now closed — Thank you to all who participated ***
CANFAR Funded YSMENA Study
“Developing an Innovative, Youth-Driven and Resilience-Based HIV Prevention Intervention for Young People from Middle Eastern and North African Communities (MENA) in Canada” will apply community-based participatory principles and peer-led approaches to develop, pilot and distribute an electronic-based survey to MENA youth in Ontario and British Columbia (BC). This will be used to determine meaningful HIV prevention interventions for MENA youth at a national level.
Research Phases
The overall objective of this project was to apply community-based participatory principles and peer-led approaches to develop and distribute an electronic-based survey to determine meaningful Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention interventions for MENA youth at a national level.
The survey centered on the research question presented to youth:
"What are the key elements of an innovative, strength-focused, resilience-based, and youth-driven intervention that is effective in reducing HIV vulnerabilities and sexual health disparities among MENA youth, including youth with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations?”
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The project followed four distinct phases outlined below.
Sept, 2022 to Jan, 2023
Developing survey & consulting MENA experts.
June, 2022 to Sept, 2022
Hiring project coordinator, staff training & forming Community Advisory Group.
April, 2023 to June, 2023
Data collection
Feb, 2023 to Mar, 2023
Piloting survey with youth groups.
Sept, 2023 to Oct, 2023
Final community report writing.
July, 2023 to Aug, 2023
Data analysis.
Sept, 2023 to Dec, 2024
Peer reviewed publications & conference presentations.
Sept, 2023 to Dec, 2024
i. Social Media
ii. Website
iii. MENA Sexual Health
iv. Papers
v. Conferences
vi. Reporting
Check Back for Updates
For enquiries or further updates about the CANFAR Funded YSMENA Study, please contact us.
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We value participation, collaboration and support.
CANFAR Funded Objective
​Funded by the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR), the overall objective of this project is to apply community-based participatory principles and peer-led approaches to develop and distribute an electronic-based survey to determine meaningful Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention interventions for MENA youth at a national level. The purpose of the project is to develop innovative community-based, intersectional, and youth-driven HIV / Sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI) prevention strategies that address gender inequities, racism, Islamophobia, and homophobia as determinants of HIV/STI vulnerabilities among MENA youth. Our goal is to capture the diverse voices of MENA youth across Canada from various communities, including people who use drugs, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women, young women, and youth from newcomer and refugee communities.
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Infographics
Click on the images for full sized infographics or download for your own use.
All data collected from the CANFAR Funded YSMENA Study Final Report.
These infographics were developed from key findings from the CANFAR Funded YSMENA Final Report
Impact
The impact of the study is through the development of innovative, community-based, intersectional and youth-driven HIV/STI prevention strategies.
These strategies are focused on addressing gender inequities, racism, Islamophobia, and homophobia as determinants of HIV/STI vulnerabilities among MENA youth.
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Recruitment Flyers
Click on the documents below to download the YSMENA Study Recruitment Flyers for Research Participants
We are delighted to announce the launch of our newly translated survey in Farsi and Arabic. This survey is aimed at facilitating seamless communication and breaking down language barriers.
With this significant update, we strive to ensure that a wider audience can easily access and participate in our survey, promoting inclusivity and diverse perspectives.​​
This is a collaborative study with the following community partners:
CANFAR Funded YSMENA Study Team
Nominated Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigators
Principal Knowledge Users
Acknowledgements
Our sincere appreciation and thanks to:
Our participants for their commitment, time, and sharing of their life-experiences. Their collective commitment will contribute to developing effective HIV/STI prevention and sexual health promotion programs for MENA young adults.
Our Project Advisory Committee for their guidance and advice towards research design, outreach, and recruitment strategies: Jad El Tal (Canadian Arab Institute), Rania Younis (WelcomeHomeTO), Moe Al Akel, and Kerolos Saleib.
Funding
