What is it?

This cross-sectional survey aims to highlight the experiences of Canadian healthcare providers in supporting their clients to access treatments for Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections (STBBIs), including Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and infectious syphilis.

Who is the target population?

Certain populations in Canada that are the most vulnerable to STBBI exposure also experience inequitable access to timely treatment and cure, which can be due to delays in obtaining or qualifying for a medication insurance plan. Priority populations include people experiencing homelessness, people who use drugs, people with experience of incarceration or criminalization, newcomers to Canada, and Indigenous peoples. This survey was designed to collect feedback from frontline healthcare providers about their experiences in assisting these populations to obtain a drug insurance plan that enables them to fill prescriptions for STBBI treatments in a timely and equitable way.

Why are we conducting this survey?

Unlike most other high-income countries, Canada does not offer a universal system for medication insurance but instead has a “patchwork” of public and private plans. This system leaves certain populations vulnerable to being either uninsured entirely or to having inadequate coverage to meet their medication needs. In 2021, Stats Canada reported that this gap was estimated at approximately 21% of all Canadian adults, with one in five people not having any prescription insurance to cover medication costs. Certain populations, including low-income groups, people experiencing homelessness and criminalization, and newcomers to Canada are both more likely to have been exposed to sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) and to be uninsured for treatment. To achieve public health goals and prevent community transmission, Canada’s medication insurance policies should be aligned with its public health and STBBI interventions.