The purpose of the HICMAAT is to support engagement in the HIV care cascade for Black people living with HIV in Ontario and mitigate racial disparities in health.
The HICMAAT, by design, will identify concerns with engagement in the HIV cascade as well as mental health and stigma. While the HICMAAT is primarily intended to evaluate the urgency and nature of case management needs of clients, it will also serve as a data capture tool and will help us understand the sociodemographic and structural factors that influence linkage to care, adherence to medication and retention in care. It will highlight opportunities for service integration and the need to address mental health issues and stigma among Black people living with HIV.
The success of this tool is contingent on its use, validation and adoption. We have partnered with two health centres (Taibu and Moyo) that are committed to supporting the development of the HICMAAT and implementing it in a pilot intensive case management project. Once the tool is finalized, we will use our knowledge translation strategies to expand its use among other stakeholders in Ontario.
