Empowering those at risk for HIV to make positive changes
Psychology professor Trevor Hart’s research on HIV prevention and sexual health promotion shows that a positive sense of well-being is associated with a decreased likelihood of engaging in unprotected sex.
Researcher Trevor Hart has noticed something about conventional support programs for those at high risk of contracting HIV and people who are HIV-positive: they typically only focus on risk factors and how to cope with the virus from a medical standpoint. But this limited view, says Hart, overlooks other variables that may prevent the spread of HIV and personal issues that put those who are HIV-negative at increased risk of contracting HIV.
A psychology professor in the Faculty of Arts, Hart holds a Chair in Applied HIV Research from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN). The position provides $750,000 over five years to further advance Hart’s research in HIV prevention and sexual health promotion for gay and bisexual men.