Overview of the Canadian study on the determinants of ethnoculturally specific behaviours related to HIV/AIDS.

Canada's population is composed of heterogenous ethnocultural communities. There is a need for information and educational initiatives on HIV and AIDS directed specifically at these communities. For such interventions to be effective we must determine the existing personal and sociocultural factors related to HIV transmission. There has been little such research in Canada. In this supplement we report on various aspects of a study conducted between May 1992 and December 1994 to determine the factors related to HIV transmission in several ethnocultural communities. This paper describes some innovative aspects of the project: the conceptual framework, the community participatory model, the use of a multi-method research design, and the ongoing communication strategy. The combination of these elements makes the study unique. The value of the study lies not only in the information obtained but also in the model it provides for future research in other settings.