The Pacific AIDS Network is pleased to share findings from the BC component of a CIHR-funded community-based research study that investigated the impact of food insecurity on health outcomes of people living with HIV in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.
As part of the knowledge-to-action activities for this project, a briefing note and fact sheet were produced. These documents provide some detail about the study and its key findings. The briefing note proposes the following set of recommendations for increasing the health and wellness for people living with HIV by decreasing food insecurity:
1. Make food security a foundational issue in From Hope to Health: Towards an AIDS-Free Generation and in all future HIV-related strategies and policies. As part of this recommendation, require all health authorities to implement strategies to address food insecurity.
2. Make funding food security programs and services an essential aspect of provincial STOP HIV/AIDS funding.
3. Work with policymakers, industry, community-based organizations and consumer groups to develop a provincial strategy to ensure all British Columbians living with HIV receive adequate and nutritious food.
4. The frontline work to help curb food insecurity is critical. Incorporate food support outreach services with sexual health and harm reduction programs to optimize access to adequate and nutritious food for people living with HIV. It is a fundamental right that anyone accessing HIV prevention or care services should have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.
More information can be found on the Food Security Study site.
If you have any questions about this study, its findings or recommendations, please contact 
Janice Duddy, Director of Evaluation and Community-Based Research [email protected]