Empowering Recovery: Enhancing Health Literacy and Social Networks for Black Gay, Bisexual, MSM (BGBM) in Ontario

Lance T. McCready, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; Notisha Massaquoi, University of Toronto Scarborough

This research project, led by Dr. Lance McCready and Dr. Notisha Massaquoi in collaboration with the Black Gay Men’s Network of Ontario (BGMN), aims to enhance pandemic resilience and recovery among Black gay, bisexual, MSM (BGBM) in Ontario by focusing on two critical areas: health literacy and social networks. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and additional people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities (2SLGBTQIA+), specifically BGBM exacerbating long-standing health disparities, particularly related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while straining existing support systems. Building on BGMN’s successful virtual programming developed during the pandemic, this project will repurpose this content and develop new content and events using a popular education framework to improve BGBM health literacy and foster social connections. The project will use a community-based participatory research approach that involves community members in all stages of the research, ensuring that the interventions are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs of BGBM in Ontario. This project will generate evidence on how enhanced health literacy and strengthened social support networks can contribute to pandemic recovery and readiness. The outcomes of this research will provide actionable strategies for reducing health disparities and improving access to care, ensuring that BGBM are better equipped to navigate future health crises. This project not only addresses immediate recovery needs but also contributes to the long-term resilience of a historically marginalized community, offering insights that can inform broader public health initiatives.