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Article History

Received: 20 December 2021

Accepted: 30 March 2022

First Online: 26 April 2022

Declarations

:

: All methods for this study were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. This study received ethics approval from the University of Toronto research ethics board (REB) (Protocol 31855). Due to involvement in active recruitment, yet no involvement in participant consent or data collection procedures, only a few of the health/HIV clinics judged it necessary to obtain approval from their own REB. The study underwent review and obtained approval from REBs at McGill University (2017–1779, 16–035-MUHC, eReviews_5368), University of Saskatchewan (15–399), St. Michael’s Hospital (16–343), Toronto Public Health (2016–02), Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA REB ROMEO FILE #: 1022121), Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (no REB number), and Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (REB-15-133). All research team members and staff signed an oath of confidentiality. All participants indicated their informed consent following completion of eligibility screening. The survey program did not retain screening data if consent was not provided. Consent of both partners within an HIV-serodiscordant relationship was required to link their responses. Survey and qualitative data were anonymous, and unlinked contact information provided to receive a token of appreciation and to volunteer for the qualitative interview was deleted once it was no longer required for these purposes. All anonymized data will be kept for 7 years post project completion.

: Not applicable.

: DHST has received investigator-initiated research grants from Abbvie, Gilead Sciences, and ViiV Healthcare, and is a Site Principal Investigator for clinical trials sponsored by Glaxo Smith Kline. BL received grants for investigator-initiated studies from ViiV Healthcare, Merck, and Gilead; consulting fees from ViiV Healthcare, Merck, and Gilead. All the other authors have no competing interests.