Presenter:
Natella Rakhmanina, MD, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics
The George Washington University
Director, HIV Prevention and Treatment Services
Children's National Hospital
Senior Technical Advisor
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Approximately one-fifth of new infections in the US occur among adolescents and young people living with HIV. Compared to adults with HIV, this special population has lower rates of testing, diagnosis, treatment participation, and viral suppression. Significantly, this vulnerable group is impacted by certain developmental, psychological, behavioral, and infrastructure issues. Adolescents and Youth with HIV continue to be at risk for poorer HIV-related outcomes if their unique needs and challenges are not met. In order to enhance their health outcomes with HIV, this interactive program will go review the current epidemiology, prevention and treatment challenges, and barriers to achieving and sustaining viral load suppression.
OBJECTIVES:
- State current epidemiology on HIV infection among adolescents and youth in the US.
- Identify unique challenges in the prevention and diagnosis of HIV infection for adolescents and youth.
- Explain the key steps in the initiation of treatment and management of HIV infection with focus on youth.
- Describe barriers and facilitators to achieving and sustaining virologic suppression and improving health outcomes among youth with HIV.
