Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty Member

Liviana Mostacci Calzavara BA, MA, PhD

Research Interests

• Sexuality, sexual behaviour and health
• Social and structural determinants of health and health-related risk behaviour
• Epidemiological, social and behavioural aspects of HIV transmission
• Marginalized populations and health (women, ethno-cultural minorities, inmates, people who use injection drugs, men who have sex with men)
• Global health
• HIV/STI/HCV prevalence, prevention and intervention
• Survey methods
• Disease and behavioural surveillance
• Social epidemiology

Education & Training History

1976-1983	Ph.D.	Sociology	University of Toronto
1975-1976	M.A.	Sociology	University of Toronto
1971-1975	B.A.	Sociology (major), Urban Studies (minor)	University of Toronto

Primary Teaching Responsibilities

Professional Summary & Appointments

Professional Summary

Dr. Liviana Calzavara is a tenured Professor (2000) at the University of Toronto, Division of Social & Behavioural Health Sciences at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Director of the CIHR Social Research Centre in HIV Prevention (SRC). The SRC is a Canadian interdisciplinary network of social researchers, community leaders, public health practitioners and policy makers committed to advancing HIV prevention efforts through social science research, capacity building and knowledge transfer and exchange (www.srchiv.ca).

Dr. Calzavara has a doctoral degree (PhD) in Sociology from the University of Toronto. In 1984, she gave up her Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Post-Doctoral Fellowship to take on her first academic appointed in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto; where she directed one of the first HIV clinical and epidemiological cohort studies in Canada. During that time, she also co-developed and co-taught the first HIV/AIDS course to be offered at the University of Toronto. Dr. Calzavara then became an Associate and full Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, which has now evolved into the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. From 2002 to 2005, she served as Program Director for the Social and Behavioural Health Sciences MSc and PhD programs; and from July 2013 to April 2015 she served as Head of the Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Professor Calzavara is currently in phased retirement but continues to supervise and mentor post-doctoral students, graduate and undergraduate students and international visiting scholars.

Dr. Calzavara has over 30 years of public health research experience and leadership. She has led large, multi-disciplinary studies in Canada, Russia and China. Her research utilizes a social-structural framework to examine predictors of risk and incident infections (i.e., HIV, STI, HCV), understand barriers faced by those living with and affected by infectious diseases, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in reducing risk and infections. She utilizes a community-engaged approach, working with vulnerable populations including those living with HIV, drugs users, gay/bisexual/MSM, prisoners, migrant populations, Aboriginals and African-Caribbean and Black communities.

She is currently the Principal Investigator of four grants funded by CIHR and the OHTN:

•  HIV serodiscordant couples in Canada: A mixed-methods study of risk management, health and wellbeing for people living with HIV and their partners
• Is earlier antiretroviral therapy (“treatment as prevention”) a viable approach to improving treatment outcomes among HIV-infected clients and reducing HIV transmission in Shanghai, China?
• Understanding HIV transmission in the African and Caribbean community following their arrival in Canada
• HIV stigma reduction intervention with African, Caribbean and Black faith communities in Ontario.

Liviana has played a leadership role in national policy and planning, having served as Co-Chair to the Ministerial Council on AIDS, the first social scientist to serve as President of the Canadian Association for HIV Research, Co-Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the Toronto XVI International AIDS Conference, and member of the inaugural CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Advisory Committee.

In recognition of excellence in research and her contributions to teaching and service, Dr. Calzavara has received numerous academic awards including: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Post-Doctoral Fellowship (1982-84), Health Canada National Health Research Scholar Award (1992-97), Robin F. Badgley Award for Excellence in Teaching (1999), Anthony B. Miller Research Excellence Award (2004), John Hastings Award for Excellence in Service (2007), and the Mark Wainberg Lecture (2013) in recognition of her excellence, perseverance and commitment to finding innovative and ground breaking ways to address the HIV epidemic.

Current Appointments

Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (07/2008 – present) – Tenured (07/2000)

Director, CIHR Social Research Centre for HIV Prevention (SRC), Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (06/2009 – present)

Full Member, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto (11/1992 – present)

Honours & Awards

• 2013 The Mark Wainberg Lecture 2013, Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR)
• 2007 John Hastings Award for Excellence in Service, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto
• 2004 Anthony B. Miller Research Excellence Award, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto
• 1999 Robin F. Badgley Award for Excellence in Teaching, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto
• 1992-1997 National Health Research Scholar – AIDS, National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP), Health Canada
• 1982-1984 Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
• 1982 Ivey Research Grant, Ethnic and Immigration Studies Program, University of Toronto
• 1976-1979 Canada Council Doctoral Fellowship
• 1975-1976 Ontario Graduate Scholarship
• 1975-1976 University of Toronto Fellowship
• 1975 Winner of the Department of Sociology’s Annual Research Competition, University of Toronto
• 1974 Winner of the Department of Sociology’s Annual Research Competition, University of Toronto
• 1971-1972 Ontario Scholarship

Current Research Projects

• 2015-2018 Is earlier antiretroviral therapy (“treatment as prevention”) a viable approach to improving treatment outcomes among HIV-infected clients and reducing HIV transmission in Shanghai, China?
• 2014-2019 The HPV-SAVE Study: HPV Screening and Vaccine Evaluation in men who have sex with men 
• 2014-2017 HIV serodiscordant couples in Canada: A mixed-methods study of risk management, health and wellbeing for people living with HIV and their partners
• 2014-2017 HIV stigma reduction intervention with African, Caribbean and Black faith communities in Ontario 
• 2013-2016 Understanding HIV transmission in the African and Caribbean community following their arrival in Canada
• 2014-2016 An Ontario case study: Adoptive parents living with HIV and the adoption agencies that serve them
• 2015-2015 Planning grant for an observational evaluation of immediate antiretroviral therapy on HIV incidence among HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Shanghai, China
• 2013-2015 Migration on and off reserve: a social driver of risk and resiliency for HIV and HCV or a determinant of health among Mi’kmaq people in New Brunswick
• 2013-2016 Refining the research response: An aboriginal HIV & AIDS research strategy for Canada
• 2009-2016 CIHR Centre in HIV Prevention Social Research (SRC)

 

Representative SELECTED Publications

Mendelsohn JB*, Calzavara L, Light L, Burchell A, Ren J and Kang L. (2015). Design and implementation of a sexual health intervention for migrant construction workers situated in Shanghai, China. Journal of Emerging Themes in Epidemiology. (in press).

Loutfy M, Tharao W, Logie C, Aden MA, Chambers LA, Wu W, Abdelmaseh M, Calzavara L. (2015). Systematic review of stigma reducing interventions for African/Black diasporic women in Canada. Journal of the International AIDS Society. 18(1): 19835. doi: 10.7448/IAS.18.1.19835.

Daftary A*, Calzavara L, Padayatchi N. (2014) The contrasting cultures of HIV and tuberculosis care. AIDS 29(1): 1-4.

Worthington CA, Calzavara L, White SJ, Allman D, Tyndall MW, Adrien A. (2015). Individual and jurisdictional factors associated with voluntary HIV testing in Canada: Results of a national survey, 2011. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 106(2):e4–e9doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.4625.

Tulloch T, Rotondi NK, Ing S, Myers T, Calzavara L, Loutfy M, Hart TA.. (2015). Retrospective reports of developmental stressors, syndemics and their association with sexual risk outcomes among gay men. Archives of Sexual Behavior 44(5). DOI 10.1007/s10508-015-0479-3.

Mendelsohn J*, Calzavara L, Daftary A, Mitra S, Pidutti J, Allman D, Bourne A, et al.. (2015). A scoping review and thematic analysis of social and behavioural research among HIV-serodiscordant couples in high-income settings. BMC Public Health. 15:241 (13 Mar 2015).

Liu J, Calzavara L, Mendelsohn J, O’Leary A, Kang L, Pan Q, Myers T, Ren J, Cha Y, Shi G, Liu X, Tian X, Fan H, Ni Y, Remis RS. (2015). Impact evaluation of a community-based intervention to reduce risky sexual behaviour among female sex workers in Shanghai, China. BMC Public Health. 15:147 (14 February 2015) DOI 10.1186/s12889-015-1439-5.

Remis RS, Kang L, Calzavara L, Pan Q, Liu J, Myers T, Ren J, Tang X; Shanghai Health District Research Group.  (2014). Prevalence and correlates of HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections in female sex workers (FSWs) in Shanghai, China. Epidemiol Infect. 2014 Apr 23:1-9. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 24759515.

Allman D, Calzavara L, Worthington C, Tyndall M, Adrien A, Walters M, White S. (2014). Charitable giving for HIV and AIDS: Results from a Canadian national survey. PLOS ONE. 9(8):1-10 (e103184).

Kouymdjian F, Calzavara L, Bondy S, O’campo P, Serwadda D, Nalugoda F, Kagaayi J, Kigozi G, Wawer M, Gray R. (2013). Intimate partner violence is associated with incident HIV infection in women in Rakai, Uganda. AIDS 2013, 27:1331-1338.

Calzavara L and Montgomery R. (2012). Drawing Lessons from the Knowledge and Experiences of the Canada-China Program to Inform Policies and Priorities of Canadian Funding Bodies.  Report. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, February 2012.

Chen H, Xu L, Ren J, Fang H, Yang M, Wang H, Kang L, Calzavara L. (2012). Study of features of sexual behaviors and condom use among male construction workers in the urban areas of Shanghai. Chinese Journal of AIDS and STI, Nov 26, 2012; 18(11):735-737.

Zhou J, Cai X, Cao Z, Xu L, Wang H, Ren J, Kang L, Calzavara L. (2012). Effects of different health interventions on KAP among construction workers in three central districts of Shanghai. Chinese Journal of AIDS and STI, Nov 26, 2012; 18(11):779-782.

Calzavara L,  Allman D., Worthington C., Tyndall M., & Adrien A. (2012). HIV and AIDS in Canada: A National Survey. Summary Report. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, March 2012,

Calzavara L, Wangari Tharao, Kimberly Gray, Ann Burchell, Robert Remis, Ted Myers, Carol Swantee, Catherine Chalin. The East African Health Study in Toronto (EAST) Factsheet. University of Toronto, Toronto, March 2012.

Gray K, Tharao W, Calzavara L. Conducting Research with Hard-to-reach Populations: Lessons Learned from the East African Health Study (EAST). University of Toronto, Toronto, February 2012.

Ren J, Calzavara L, Kang L, Fang H, Zhuang M, Chen X, Xu L, Chen H, Yang M, Su F, Wang H. (2012). Survey on KAP and impact factors of condom use among construction workers in Shanghai, China. Chinese Journal of AIDS and STI, Feb 26, 2012; 16(1):22-25.

Ren J, Calzavara L, Fang H, Pan Q,  Xu L, Yang M, Wang H, Kang L.  (2011). Situation and influencing factors of sexual behaviors among male construction worker in Shanghai, China. Chinese Journal of Public Health, Mar 2011; 27(3):347-49.

Huang W, Yang M, Cai X, Fang H, Ren J, Calzavara L. Influence of different intensity intervention on knowledge of AIDS and STD among construction workers. Journal of Environmental & Occupational Medicine, Nov 25, 2011; 28(11):726-29.

Calzavara L, Burchell A, Lebovic G, Myers T, Remis RS, Raboud J, Corey P, and Swantee C. (2011). The impact of stressful life events on unprotected anal sex among gay and bisexual men. AIDS and Behavior 2011, 16:633–643. DOI 10.1007/s10461-010-9879-5.

Kouyoumdjian F, Main C, Calzavara L, Kiefer L. (2011). Prevalence and predictors of urethral chlamydia and gonorrhea infection in male inmates in an Ontario correctional facility. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2011, 102: pages 220-224.

Burchell A, Calzavara L, Myers T, Remis RS, Raboud J, Corey P, and Swantee C. (2010). Stress and increased HIV infection risk among gay and bisexual men. AIDS 2010, 24:1757-1764.

Palmer A, Klein M, Raboud J, Cooper C, Hosein S, Loutfy M, Machouf N, Montaner J, Rourke S, Smieja M, Tsoukas C, Yip B,1 Milan D, Hogg R, and the CANOC Collaboration. (2010). Cohort Profile: The Canadian Observational Cohort Collaboration. International Journal of Epidemiology 2010:1-8.

Deeks S, Gange S, Kitahata M, Merriman B, Saag M, Justice A, Hogg R, Eron J, Brooks J, Rourke S, Gill J, Bosch R, Benson C, Collier A, Martin J, Klein M, Jacobson L, Rodriguez B, Sterling T, Kirk G, Napravnik S, Rachlis A, Calzavara L, Horberg M, Silverberg M, Gebo K, Bangsberg D, Goedert J, McKaig R, Freeman A, Moore R, for The North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design. (2009). Trends in multi-drug failure and subsequent mortality among antiretroviral therapy-experienced HIV-infected patients in North America. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2009, 49(10):1582-90.

Aguinaldo J, Myers T, Ryder K, Haubrich D, Calzavara L. (2009).Accounts of HIV seroconversion from substance using gay and bisexual men. Qualitative Health Research 2009, 19(10):1395-1406.

Kitahata MM, Gange SJ, Abraham A, Merriman B, Saag MS, Justice AC, Hogg RS, Deeks SG, Eron JJ, Brooks JT, Rourke SB, Gill MJ, Bosch RJ, Martin JN, Klein MB, Jacobson LP, Rodriguez B, Sterling TR, Kirk GD, Napravnik S, Rachlis AR, Calzavara L, Horberg MA, Silverberg MJ, Gebo KA, Goedert JJ, Benson CA, Collier AC, Van Rompaey SE, Crane HM, McKaig RG, Lau B, Freeman AM, Moore RD, for The North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design. (2009). Effect of early versus deferred antiretroviral therapy for HIV on survival. New England Journal of Medicine 2009, 360(18):1815-1826.

Myers T, Allman D, Remis R, Xu K, , Aguinaldo J, Burchell A, Calzavara L, Swantee C. The prevalence and correlates of HCV infection and HCV-HIV co-infection among a community sample of gay and bisexual men.  (2009). International Journal of Infectious Diseases 2009,13(6):730-739.

Gardezi F, Calzavara L, Husbands W, Myers T, Tharao W, Lawson E, George C, Pancham A, Remis R, Willms D, McGee F, Adebajo S. (2008). Experiences of and responses to HIV among African Caribbean Communities in Toronto, Canada. AIDS Care. 2008, 20(6):718-725.

Burchell A, Calzavara L, Orekhovsky V, Ladnaya N, and the Canada AIDS Russia Project and the Russian HIV Response Network. (2008). Characterization of an emerging heterosexual HIV epidemic in Russia. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2008, 35(9):807-813.

Calzavara L, Ramuscak N, Burchell A, Swantee C, Myers T, Ford P, Fearon M, Raymond S. Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus infections among inmates of Ontario remand facilities.  (2007). Canadian Medical Association Journal 2007; 177(3):257-261.

Calzavara L, Husbands W, Myers T, Tharao E, Lawson E, Gardezi F, and the Stigma Study Team. HIV/AIDS Stigma, Denial, Fear and Discrimination: Experiences and Responses of People from African and Caribbean Communities Living in Toronto: Final Report. Toronto: HIV Studies Unit, Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, June 2006, ISBN 0-7727-8772-7.

Haubrich D, Calzavara L, Myers T, Ryder K, and the Polaris Study Team. Gay and Bisexual Men’s experiences of bathhouse culture and sex: “Looking for love in all the wrong places”. Culture, Health and Sexuality Jan/Feb 2004, 6(1): 19-29.

Calzavara L, Burchell A, Schlossberg J, Myers T, Escobar M, Wallace E, Major C, Strike C, Millson M. Prior opiate injection and incarceration history predict injection drug use among inmates. Addiction 2003; 98: 1257-1265.

Burchell A, Calzavara L, Myers T, Schlossberg J, Millson M, Escobar M, Wallace E, and Major C. Voluntary HIV testing among inmates: Sociodemographic, behavioural risk and attitudinal correlates. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 2003: 32(5): 534-541.

Burchell A, Calzavara L, Ramuscak N, Myers T, Major C, Rachlis A, Gough K, Raboud J, Remis RS, and the Polaris HIV Seroconversion Study Team. Symptomatic primary HIV infection or risk experiences? Circumstances surrounding HIV testing and diagnosis among recent seroconverters. International Journal of STD & AIDS 2003; 12: 601-607.

Calzavara L, Burchell A, Remis RS, Major C, Corey P, Myers T, Millson P, Wallace E, and the Polaris Study Team. Delayed condom application is a risk factor for HIV infection among gay and bisexual men. American Journal of Epidemiology 2003; 157(3): 210-217.

Millson P, Myers T, Calzavara L, Wallace E, Major C, Degani N. Regional variations in HIV prevalence and risk behaviours in Ontario injection drug users (IDU). Canadian Journal of Public Health Nov/Dec 2003; 94(6): 431-435.

Calzavara L, Burchell A, Major C, Remis RS, Corey P, Myers T, Wallace E, Millson P, and the Polaris Study Team. Increases in HIV incidence among repeat testers in a large diagnostic database in Ontario, Canada, 1992-2000. AIDS 2002; 16(12): 1655-1661.

Calzavara L, Burchell A. Developing Effective HIV Prevention Programs for Inmates. Canadian HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Newsletter. 1999; 5(1):32-34.

Calzavara L, Coates R, Johnson J, Read S, Farewell V, Fanning M, Shepherd F, MacFadden D. Sexual behaviour changes among male sexual contacts of men with HIV disease: A three year overview. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 1991;82:150-156.

Calzavara L, Coates R, Craib K, Schechter M, Le T, Nault P, Elmslie K. Underreporting of AIDS cases in Canada: A record linkage study. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 1990;142:36-39.

Coates R, Calzavara L, Read S, Fanning M, Shepherd F, Klein M, Johnson J, Soskolne C. Risk factors for HIV infection in male sexual contacts of men with AIDS or an AIDS-related condition. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1988;128:729-739.

Coates R, Calzavara L, Soskolne C, Read S, Fanning M, Shepherd F, Klein M, Johnson K. Validity of sexual histories in a prospective study of male sexual contacts of men with AIDS or an AIDS- related condition. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1988;128:719-728.