The Canadian HIV/AIDS and Chronic Pain Society will collaborate with persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH), populations at risk, AIDS Service organizations, peer and frontline workers, healthcare professionals, researchers, government, and multi-level stakeholders to improve our knowledge and access to HIV and comorbidity pain treatment, care, and support in Canada. They will also advocate for research funding, partnerships, and government assistance for chronic pain and HIV research.

With a diverse Board of Directors, 8 out of 9 with lived experience of chronic pain and HIV; all HIV+, experienced advocates and community-based researchers. Michael Parsons, Guy-Henri Godin, Shelly Tognazzini, Brenda Gagnier, Adrian Betts, Richard Baker, Donald Turner, Christian Hui, and Colleen Price.

Chronic Pain and HIV is a silent epidemic, having bio-psychosocial impacts, it is an in/visible disability, and it can be detrimental to our health-related quality of life, our medication adherence and our mental health and wellness.

We do not know the number of people living with HIV impacted by chronic pain in Canada. There is no epi-data, no dedicated research funding, and a very dire lack of services, programs, guidelines, and policies regarding our pain treatment, care, and support. It is estimated that over half of PLWH suffer from chronic pain in their lifetime, and this prevalence increases to 83% in some populations (Parker, R. et al. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc3929991/). Chronic pain in people with HIV: a common comorbidity and threat to quality of life, Madden, V. et al. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2020-0004).

To become a member or discuss research, educational or advocacy opportunities or partnerships, please contact: hivchronicpainandwellness@gmail.com