HIV/AIDS: Adherence Issues is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course that discusses adherence issues in populations at high risk for HIV infection.

HIV and AIDS are medical terms that are linked together due to the progressive nature of HIV. When untreated or undertreated, HIV will become AIDS. The virus can affect people of all ages – children who are born to mothers who have HIV, adolescents, adults, and elders. People who are diagnosed with HIV can live almost normal lifespans and have little risk of transmitting the disease if they use antiretroviral therapy appropriately under medical care. However, only 57% of people infected with HIV follow their antiretroviral regimen well enough to achieve viral suppression.

In this course we review the HIV Care Continuum and antiretroviral therapy treatment. We then focus on specific groups of people (i.e., adolescents, illicit drug users, pregnant women) who are infected with HIV, so that we may discuss common difficulties in adhering to treatment. We will also consider issues associated with transitioning patient care to multidisciplinary practices or community care. Evidence-based strategies for supporting patient adherence to medical treatment are provided at the end of each section.

The course finishes with a reminder of the laws passed to combat the stigma of HIV/AIDS to ensure people with HIV/AIDS receive equal medical treatment.

Outline

• Introduction
• The HIV Care Continuum
• Antiretroviral Therapy: A Brief Overview of Treatment
• HIV in Adolescents and Young Adults
• Illicit Drug Use
• Women, Pregnancy, and HIV
• Laws, Legal Issues, and Adherence
• Conclusion

Course # 11-51 | 2023 | 24 pages | 10 posttest questions