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Dr. Paul Shuper is a Senior Scientist and Section Head of Community, Addiction and Mental Health Research and Evaluation (CARE) at IMHPR. In addition to his NIH/NIAAA- and CIHR-funded investigations in Toronto, Dr. Shuper has been conducting research in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2007. His work in this latter region focuses on improving HIV prevention- and treatment-related outcomes by targeting underlying addictions- and mental health-related concerns among key affected populations. For example, he was the PI of a recently-completed CIHR-funded initiative that involved collaborating with mining companies, mineworker unions, and national-level South African government representatives to identify potentially acceptable, feasible, and effective intervention approaches to address the disproportionately high levels of alcohol use, HIV, and TB among mineworkers in the country. He is also currently the PI of a CIHR-funded planning grant that focuses on identifying means to address the intersection of alcohol, substance use, and mental health concerns among Zimbabwean youth living with HIV. Efforts that target this specific population are especially crucial for HIV-focused efforts, as HIV+ adolescents and young adults in Zimbabwe demonstrate the lowest rates of HIV viral suppression in the country.
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