HIV Connect: Forward Thinking: Mental Health and HIV

On this episode of HIV Connect we dive deep into the conversation around sexual health for people living with HIV, breaking down sexual stigma, and what healthy sex looks like. Marriage and family therapist Damon Jacobs and HIV educator LaDeia Joyce join Kalvin to celebrate pleasure and illuminate the obstacles that people living with HIV face when trying to obtain sexual health care.

Daily weight fluctuation is normal and comes down to what and when we eat, drink, exercise, and even sleep. For most of us, shedding the extra few pounds and or replacing fat with muscle seems like a never-ending quest. But for people living with chronic conditions, including HIV, significant weight gain is an important considerations that sometimes requires consulting with a clinician to get it right. On this episode of HIV Connect we will explore the ins and outs of achieving and sustaining a weight that promotes our overall health and well-being.

In the more than 40 years since the beginning of the HIV pandemic, we have come a long way from the introduction of modern Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in 1996 which consisted of multiple pills taken multiple times a day to the newly available option of long-acting injectable ART dosed six times a year. This shift in HIV treatment delivery has been touted as a gamechanger in relation to mitigating the Achilles heel of ART, notably maintaining near-perfect adherence. On this episode of HIV Connect we will explore this new treatment modality and its potential impact on as the science of HIV evolves and is implemented in real-life within clinical settings across the United States.

In recent years, there has been increasing awareness of the important role mental health plays in our lives, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health as a priority in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. The COVID-19 pandemic only served to exacerbate existing mental health conditions, including among people living with HIV. Additionally, though, people living with mental health conditions often experience discrimination and stigma that pose barriers to accessing and utilizing evidence-based mental health interventions – cognitive and therapeutic. In this episode of HIV Connect we will explore the critical role of mental health in the lives of people living with HIV.

More than a few years ago, the results of multiple clinical trials offered clear-cut evidence that consistent suppression of HIV with ART prevents sexual transmission of the virus. These studies unequivocally supported the concept the HIV treatment was also prevention, otherwise known as treatment as prevention, or TasP. While clinicians were aware of this evidence-based concept, it did not catch on with the HIV community until the Prevention Access Campaign launched the revolutionary U=U campaign with the pithier message communicating that undetectable equals untransmittable. In this episode of HIV Connect Kalvin speaks with Bruce Richman and Davina Conner about the win-win proposition behind this powerful message.

Finding a good doctor you can trust can be a significant barrier to getting quality care. Both HIV-informed and gender-affirming care provide their own challenges when dealing with ER visits, general doctors appointments, and health insurance. Today Kalvin speaks with britt walsh and Tori Cooper to discuss the intersections and challenges of getting quality care, and the positive changes they have seen in the healthcare system.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” In the age of modern HIV treatment and care, individuals living with HIV can live long, healthy lives but what does healthy living with HIV look like today? On this episode of HIV Connect we will explore some of the elements that can enhance our quality of life beyond viral suppression. On this episode of HIV Connect, Kalvin is joined by Charles Sanchez and Dr. Allison Agwu to talk about how connectivity and mindfulness can contribute to living your best life!

Aging with HIV is more relevant than ever as over half of all people living with HIV in the US are now over the age of 50. Host Kalvin Pugh is joined by long term survivor Tez Anderson and HIV specialist Dr. Jonathon Applebaum to discuss what long term thriving looks like for those aging with HIV today.

On this episode of HIV Connect, host Kalvin Pugh dives into a topic that impacts the health and wellbeing of every person living with HIV: Adherence. Advances in technology and medicine have drastically changed means of adherence over the past several decades, and it remains critical to viral prevention and suppression. Kalvin is joined by Porchia Dees and professor Dr. K Rivet Amico to chat about the importance of adherence to medications.

HIV Connect is a podcast from the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. In each episode Kalvin Pugh IAPAC's Senior Advisor on Community Engagement connects with providers, advocates, and friends on the clinical and psychosocial issues that are important to those living with HIV today. From topics like medication adherence and aging with HIV, to equitable care and sexual health, aiming to raise awareness and destigmatize what it means to be living with HIV today.