Background
A syndemic is a set of linked health problems involving two or more conditions, interacting synergistically, and contributing to excess burden of disease in a population. People living with HIV are not only impacted by HIV. Common among people living with HIV are mental health issues such as depression and substance use and other physical health issues. The latter can be related to HIV, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease, or unrelated, such as diabetes. Practitioners need the knowledge and clinical skills to provide a holistic approach to treating their patients with multiple syndemic conditions. Examining physical and social contexts will help clinicians understand how syndemics adversely affect HIV risk in vulnerable populations and how interventions can best be deployed to mitigate these risks. By broadening their understanding of HIV from a single epidemic to a component of wider syndemics, this program will help clinicians reach those historically left behind.
Program
Addressing Syndemic Conditions Affecting HIV Outcomes will examine physical and social contexts to help clinicians understand how syndemics adversely affect HIV risk in vulnerable populations and how interventions can best be deployed to mitigate these risks. The information will be provided to clinicians through case study-based webinars delivered across three modules.
- The first module addresses the interface of substance use disorders, HIV, psychiatric comorbidity, minority stress, and incarceration, as well as strategies for addressing the interface, including community-based interventions, harm reduction, self-help groups, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing.
- The second module addresses mental health, sexual risk behavior, and adherence to HIV care, as well as the integration of mental health screening and treatment (cognitive therapy and therapeutic) into HIV primary care.
- The third module addresses enabling policies, on-site treatment, and partner services (i.e., contact tracing) for curbing HIV rates via clinical interventions in HIV-specialized and primary care settings.
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of HIV care providers and other healthcare professionals providing HIV care and treatment such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
Accreditation
Planning Committee
This educational activity was developed by a course director and an activity manager:
Course Director: Christopher Duncombe, MD, AM (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA)
Faculty: Christopher Duncombe, MD, AM (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA)
Activity Manager: Jonathon Hess, MPA, LLM (International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, Washington, DC, USA)
Activity Assistant: Cassandra Moore, MPH (International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, Washington, DC, USA)
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this activity, learners should be able to:
- To define the interface of substance use disorders, HIV, psychiatric comorbidity, minority stress, and incarceration, as well as strategies for addressing the interface
- To explain the impact of mental health and sexual risk behavior on adherence to HIV care, as well as the integration of mental health screening and treatment into HIV primary care
- To describe enabling policies, treatments and clinical interventions in HIV-specialized and primary care settings
Accreditation Statements
Physicians
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurses
Education Review Systems is an approved approver of continuing nursing education by the Alabama State Nursing Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (Provider # 5-115).
This program is approved for a maximum of 3.00 hours of continuing nursing education. Educational Review Systems is also approved for nursing continuing education by the State of California, the State of Florida, and the District of Columbia.
Disclosure
This activity is supported through an educational grant from Gilead Sciences. The content for this activity was developed by and reflects the views of the activity’s planners, not those of the commercial entities providing educational grants.
Course Content
This activity’s three modules are covered in the course content link below, which should be fully reviewed prior to completing the knowledge assessment. If you encounter any issues, please contact Jonathon Hess, MPA, LLM, IAPAC Senior Director of Education, at jhess@iapac.org.
Knowledge Assessment
This activity has a knowledge assessment. The assessment requires completing 15 multiple choice questions covering topics covered in the activity’s three modules and must be completed following the activity’s completion to claim 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
