Engage-COVID-19: A mixed Methods Study of Biomedical, Behavioural, and Psychosocial Aspects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Canada [study data contributed to the CITF Databank]

<b>Background:</b> Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) experience systemic marginalization and many barriers to healthcare, leading to significant healthcare disparities. It was unknown if they were more vulnerable to COVID-19, and if a failure to respond to their unique physical and mental health needs would exacerbate existing health disparities. The Engage-COVID-19 study leveraged the larger Engage Cohort Study conducted by researchers studying HIV and sexual health among GBM based at Canadian universities, public health, and community organizations. <br>

<b>Aims of the CITF co-funded study: </b>The study aimed to identify biomedical, behavioural, and psychosocial risk factors for contracting COVID-19, document SARS-CoV-2 immunity in HIV positive and negative participants, and characterize the clinical syndrome and severity of those with immunity. It also aimed to understand the application and understanding of COVID-19 mitigation strategies in GBM and investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health, loneliness, sexual behaviours, substance use patterns, and access to essential healthcare. [1] <br>

<b>Methods:</b> This cohort study recruited individuals across Vancouver, British Columbia, Toronto, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec who self-identified as a gay or bisexual man, including transgender GBM, and who reported having sex with another man in the past 6 months. Participants in the COVID-19 sub-study provided blood samples and responded to questionnaires in two waves of data collection, over the span of approximately 21 months. <br>

<b>Contributed dataset contents: </b>The datasets include 2,518 participants who completed baseline questionnaires since Feb 2017. A total of 1,564 participants had study visits during the Engage COVID-19 data collection period (09/2020–06/2022), and gave one or more blood samples in the same timeframe. A total of 2,719 serology samples were collected. Variables include data in the following areas of information: demographics (age, gender, ethnicity and indigeneity), general health (smoking; chronic disease diagnoses; flu vaccine), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, adherence to COVID-19 prevention public health guidelines (physical distancing, remote working, wearing a mask), and serology. <br>

[1]: Please contact original study team for these mental health and behaviour data ([e-mail]).