OVERVIEW
CAHR is a proud recipient of funding via the Public Health Agency of Canada (Community Action Fund) for the period 2022-2027. This funding envelope supports the Canadian Alliance in HIV and HCV Knowledge to Action program (or “K2A Program” in short) which leads and supports efforts that advance program science – applying theory and knowledge to improve public health programs.
WHAT DOES THE K2A PROGRAM DO?
The Knowledge to Action (K2A) Program works to increase the application of the Program Science framework among community members, public health professionals/practitioners, service providers and researchers to prevent new infections and improve the health and well-being of people affected by HIV, HCV and STBBI in communities across Canada.
K2A activities include training workshops (3-4 per year), conference sessions (two per year), mentorship efforts (one per year), science cafes (one per year), and the development of e-learning modules (two per year) that focus on fostering academic/community interactions. Where possible, activities include the direct participation of community-based service organizations and persons with lived experience with the aim of improving to the ways programs are designed, implemented and evaluated, thus strengthening Canada’s HIV/HCV/STBBI response.
WHAT IS PROGRAM SCIENCE?
Program Science emphasizes collaboration between the science that studies key health and social issues and the actual programs that serve affected people. Specifically, Program Science is “the systematic application of theoretical and empirical scientific knowledge to improve the design, implementation and evaluation of public health programs” (Blanchard, 2012).
Beyond that technical definition, Program Science ensures research is driven by public health programs and their field-level challenges and experiences. It is focused on gathering information while programs are happening – during their planning, implementation, and evaluation phases – to support program improvements and to allow for the scale-up and transfer of effective programs to other locations and populations. The goal of Program Science is to reduce incidence by optimizing the choice of “the right strategy for the right populations at the appropriate time” (Blanchard, 2012). Further simplified, Program Science is turning what we know into what we do.
SUPPORTED EVENTS
Below is an overview of the events supported by the K2A Program.
CONFERENCE SESSIONS
PAST CONFERENCE SESSIONS:
- CAHR CONFERENCE: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH FRAMEWORKS IN HIV RESEARCH: COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES AND EMERGING CONTEXTS
Dr. Cathy Worthington
May 3, 2025 (Halifax)
Watch the video - CAHR CONFERENCE: SYNDEMICS OF HIV, STBBIS AND SUBSTANCE USE IN THE PRAIRIES: UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND LOCAL SOLUTIONS
May 1, 2025 (Halifax)
Watch the video - CAHR CONFERENCE: ADVANCING HIV PREVENTION AND CARE AMONG AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN, AND BLACK (ACB) WOMEN THROUGH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND CRITICAL APPLICATION OF COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH (CBPR) PRINCIPLES
Dr. Josephine Etowa
April 27, 2024 (London, ON)
Watch the video - CAHR CONFERENCE: EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY IN HIV/AIDS RESEARCH: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Dr. Isaac Luginaah
April 26, 2024 (London, ON)
Watch the video - CAGH CONFERENCE SESSION: HIV SELF-TESTING & NURSE-LED HIV PREVENTION: HOW GETAKIT.CA AND PREP-RN CAN HELP ACHIEVE THE 95-95-95 TARGETS
Patrick O’Byrne and Lauren Orser
October 16, 2023 (Ottawa)
This session unfolded with a focus on “HIV Self-testing & Nurse-led HIV Prevention: How GetaKit.ca and PrEP-RN Can Help Achieve the 95-95-95 Targets.” The session featured keynote speakers Patrick O’Byrne and Lauren Orser, who are recognized for their pioneering efforts in HIV prevention and care.The essence of the workshop was to discuss the critical role of nurse-led interventions in achieving the ambitious UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2030. This goal aims for 95% of people living with HIV to know their status, 95% of those diagnosed to be on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment to achieve viral suppression.The speakers delved into the journey since 2013, highlighting the launch of Canada’s first HIV PEP program, PEP-RN, at a local STI clinic, followed by the integration of PrEP into this clinic in 2018, known as PrEP-RN. A landmark development came in 2020 with the initiation of Canada’s first at-home HIV self-testing program, GetaKit.ca. The uniqueness of these programs lies in their nurse-led approach.
The objectives of the workshop were clear and multifaceted:
a) Detailing nurse-led HIV self-testing, and PEP and PrEP strategies.
b) Reviewing the outcomes of GetaKit.ca and the combined PEP/PrEP-RN programs.
c) Discussing the adaptability of these interventions in different jurisdictions.
As part of the outcomes and results, the presenters showcased their programs and data, emphasizing the prevention, testing, and linkage to care pathways they had established. They engaged with attendees to identify the essential elements of their projects that should be retained, such as support and linkage to care for end-users, while also considering adaptable elements to maximize uptake and success in various settings.
The main messages from the session were powerful and impactful. The nurse-led PEP and PrEP, along with HIV self-testing initiatives in Ottawa and Ontario, Canada, demonstrated significant success. These included high uptake, efficient use of resources, strong linkage to care, and a notable decrease in overall HIV diagnosis numbers. - CAHR CONFERENCE: SEXUALIZED DRUG USE (‘CHEMSEX’) AMONG MSM: REALITIES, RISKS AND REQUIRED RESPONSES
Dr. Adam Bourne
April 29, 2023 (Quebec City)
Watch the video - CAGH CONFERENCE: LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION AS A KEY TO INCLUSIVITY
November 23, 2022 (Toronto)
There have been increasing calls for greater autonomy and local ownership and participation of people in need in global health research. Through frameworks and approaches such as implementation science, there are opportunities to optimize, and scale-up if needed, localized work and solutions. The very principles of “local level engagement” would require that the needs of communities are addressed, and from the start, provide a mechanism to ensure the application of equity, diversity and inclusion principles as well as inclusive global health.Held in conjunction with the 28th annual Canadian Conference on Global Health (CCGH 2022), this session asks you to consider: How can local empowerment make a difference and align with district and national efforts and policies? How is empowerment linked to local and district capacity to develop evidence-based planning and equity-oriented resource allocation? How can local implementation serve to operationalize equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, and progress an inclusion agenda in global health? How does local implementation empower researchers and practitioners in diverse settings?
A panel discussion with Dismas Matovelo, Maureen Owino, Patrick Segawa, and Dr. Xiaolin Wei. Moderated by Margaret Mutumba. - CAHR CONFERENCE: WOMEN SPEAK: COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR AND BY WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV IN CANADA
April 29, 2022 (Virtual)
Watch the video
WORKSHOPS AND MENTORSHIPS
Each year, the K2A Program leads and/or supports the educational workshops that strengthen the skills and abilities of target audiences to provide stigma-free and effective prevention, testing, treatment and care services. Additionally, mentorship activities that team advanced experts in the Program Science with community-based researcher teams and peer researchers living with HIV/HCV are undertaken to help them prepare and refine an intervention research projects.
Recently supported workshops include:
RE-IMAGINING COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH
May 1, 2025 (Halifax)
With over 75 attendees, this workshop explored the evolving role of community-based research (CBR) in addressing systemic inequalities and fostering social justice. Participants learned how to reimagine CBR by integrating principles of decolonization, equity, and activism. The workshop emphasized collaborative and participatory approaches as well as highlighted the transformative power of community involvement as co-researchers to address social inequities and empower marginalized groups. Supported by the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), the workshop was facilitated by Maureen Owino in partnership with community leaders.
An overview of CAHR’s upcoming workshops can be found here and a list of past workshops here.
SCIENCE CAFÉS
As part of its commitment to expanding the understanding and application of Program Science, the K2A Program supports community engagement activities, which we like to call Science Cafés. Science Cafés are informal science education activities, with varying formats, that can take place both in-person and virtual. The typical cafe structure involves a brief talk by an expert speaker(s), followed by a question and answer or conversation period with the audience.
Science Cafés welcome people who may or may not typically get involved with scientific discussions. They are not exclusive club meetings for scientists and science majors, nor do they take place exclusively in lecture halls or science museums. Rather, Science Cafés happen in informal community gathering spaces such as restaurants, libraries, bars, etc. In all cases, no admission is charged. Successful cafés foster an informal atmosphere where all participants feel encouraged to participate. These are no long lectures with passive audiences listening to an expert, rather they are dynamic, two-way interactions between scientists, those with lived-experience and the public. In this way, the public feels empowered to learn, and the speaker gains valuable perspective on his or her own work.
List of previously supported events:
Coming soon
E-LEARNING MODULES
The K2A program collaborates with community members, policy makers, educators, practitioners/service providers and researchers in the development of E-learning modules. These modules are designed to support communities, students and research teams in the many aspects of HIV, community-based research, and intervention research.
A full list of the supported modules can be found here.
INTERESTED IN HOSTING A SCIENCE CAFÉ WITH US?
The K2A Program welcomes your ideas for future Science Cafés that work to advance the understanding and application of Program Science, community interventions, scale up of successful community-researcher partnerships, etc. If you are interested in partnering with us, please send us an email to info@cahr-acrv.ca with the subject “K2A Science Café”.
