Welcome to the SHAWNA Project
The Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS: Longitudinal Women’s Needs Assessment, known as the ‘the SHAWNA Project’ or ‘SHAWNA’, is a community-driven research project that has been exploring the experiences of cis and trans women living with HIV. From September 2014 to February 2025, the SHAWNA Project enrolled 389 women living with HIV who reside in and/or access HIV care in Metro Vancouver. SHAWNA includes quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (narrative interviews, focus groups, arts-based methods) approaches.
The main objective of the SHAWNA Project is to understand the factors that shape access to HIV care and sexual and reproductive health among women living with HIV, with a focus on safety, choice and agency, and on reducing stigma and other harms. The SHAWNA Project is particularly interested in making recommendations that can help guide trauma- and violence-informed approaches in HIV care and practice.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that the land on which we work is the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the lands of xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We honor the enduring connection of these Nations to this land, their histories, and their cultural practices, and we are committed to learning and growing in our relationship with this land, its Peoples, and their ways of knowing and being.
We recognize the deeply harmful role that colonization continues to play in perpetuating health and social inequities for Indigenous peoples and communities. The legacy of colonialism remains present in systems such as research and healthcare, and we are dedicated to actively challenging and decolonizing these structures within our research activities. This work demands reflection, learning, and an ongoing pursuit of reconciliation and justice.
As we move forward in processes of reconciliation, we emphasize that land acknowledgments are not scripted or symbolic gestures. They are meant to reflect our shared responsibility to the land, to the ongoing relationship between Indigenous peoples and this territory, and to the critical work of re-establishing respectful, meaningful connections. Land acknowledgments are living expressions that reflect an individual’s understanding and commitment to the land and its People. Learn more about land acknowledgments and locate the traditional lands where you reside here.
SHAWNA’s Current Activities (2024 – 2025)
Interviews / quantitative surveys concluded February 28, 2025
Although we are no longer conducting interviews, our commitment to meaningful change continues through the ongoing analysis and dissemination of our findings.
Monthly Social Drop-in Group
On the first Thursday of each month, the SHAWNA Project hosts an event for women and gender-diverse people living with HIV to come together, do arts and crafts, have coffee and snacks, and contribute to a space of support and connection with one another.
‘My Story, My Way’
‘My Story, My Way’ is an arts-based and qualitative research study using digital storytelling (3-5 minute videos). Through a trauma- and violence-informed lens, these powerful stories explore the experiences of women living with HIV navigating health care and also make recommendations to improve access to treatment and care.
Knowledge Translation & Exchange
We strive to ensure our findings are accessible and meaningful to the community. We employ various knowledge translation and exchange activities to share our research in more engaging and accessible ways beyond publications. We create infographics and plain-language summaries, newsletters, and arts-based research outputs including photovoice, animation, and digital storytelling.
Acknowledgments
Thank you!
The SHAWNA Project is deeply grateful for the invaluable contributions of our community experts. Our work would not be possible without the incredible women who have so generously shared their stories, wisdom, and experiences with us over the years. Their courage, resilience, and authenticity continue to inspire and shape the heart of our mission. We recognize that each voice adds a unique perspective, enriching our understanding and driving meaningful change. We are honored by the trust placed in us and remain committed to amplifying their stories as we work together toward a brighter future
“Community experts of lived experience”, or participants, have first-hand knowledge of issues through their day-to-day life experiences. The community experts participating in our study are women living with HIV who live in and/or access HIV health services in Metro Vancouver, Canada).
We also want to thank our Positive Women’s Advisory Board (PWAB) and our Community Advisory Board (CAB). The passion, expertise, and advocacy exemplified by PWAB and CAB members have left an indelible mark on our efforts and the lives of many women living with HIV. Thanks to the thoughtful insights and ongoing contributions from PWAB and CAB members, we have made meaningful strides in understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by the community over the past 10 years alongside their resilience and strength.
We thank the current SHAWNA team of project and statistical staff and trainees including Elle Aikema, Wiebke Bartels, Yas Botelho, Suiqiong Fan, Parisa Kabir, Desire King, Emma Kuntz, Beatrix Lehmann, Melanie Lee, Mika Ohtsuka, Rhiannon Owen, Sagar Pannu, Amanda Tallio, Colleen Thompson, Esteban Valencia, and Charlie Zhou. We also thank the current administrative/operations/knowledge translation staff supporting SHAWNA, including Esther Ibu, Cathy Chabot, and Peter Vann. We also thank our Study Physician, Dr. Mary Kestler.
SHAWNA Project Funding
US National Institutes of Health R01: “Social and structural violence and HIV care continuum outcomes: Developing a trauma-informed HIV care intervention among WLWH” (2020-2025, Grant #5R01MH123349-04); Nominated Principal Investigator: Kate Shannon; Co-Principal Investigator: Kathleen Deering.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Grant: “Longitudinal impacts of violence and stigma on HIV care continuum and broader health care access among WLWH: the SHAWNA Project” (2020-2025, Project Grant # PJT – 169119); Nominated Principal Investigator: Kathleen Deering.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research Operating Grant: “Sexual health, HAART and HIV care amongst women living with HIV: A longitudinal investigation of the impacts of structural, social and policy environments“ (2014-2019; Complete); Nominated Principal Investigator: Kate Shannon; Co-Principal Investigator: Kathleen Deering; Qualitative Principal Investigator: Andrea Krüsi.
Canadian HIV Trial Network: “Longitudinal impacts of violence and stigma on HIV care continuum and broader health care access among WLWH: the SHAWNA Project” (2021-2025, CTN-333); Nominated Principal Investigator: Kathleen Deering.