International Workshop on HIV & Adolescence 2021

Welcome

The International Workshop on HIV & Adolescence 2021 took place as a virtual program over 4 days: 29-30 September & 6-7 October.

Adolescents are developmentally at a difficult crossroad, which makes it challenging to attract and sustain adolescents’ focus on maintaining their health. Every effort must be made to engage and retain adolescents in care so they can improve and maintain their health for the long term.

The medical advances that have transformed HIV treatment into a manageable disease have yet to alter the stark reality for young people within key populations, particularly in low to middle-income countries, such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa. Even as AIDS-related mortality has decreased overall in recent years, AIDS-related deaths among adolescents increased by 50%. In other words, AIDS is far from over - especially for young people.

At major meetings, advances in HIV management focuses mainly on either adults or children, often excluding adolescents as a key population. We have initiated the International Workshop on HIV & Adolescence to meet this need for international interchange and advance the field by addressing challenges with innovative solutions.

This workshop is set up as an inclusive summit for multidisciplinary experts working with adolescents affected by HIV. The objective will be to share experiences, knowledge, and best practices with the aim of defining a pathway forward for optimizing the care of adolescents living with HIV.

The program will cover the entire spectrum of developmental changes in adolescents including social, behavioral, physiological, and biological aspects and the impact of an HIV-positive status. Prevention programs, testing, treatment, and support services among adolescents shall be discussed. The barriers encountered in delivering these services and ways to mitigate these barriers shall be key areas of discussion during the workshop.

Practical Information