Please note: This is the general version of the course: Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: Prevention and Treatment Guidelines N239C. No pharmacology credits will be earned. Click here to take the pharmacology version.

Course Summary

Expiration Date: 06/16/2028

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are manageable chronic conditions with the advent of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). The interprofessional health team — comprising medical, nursing, pharmacy, and social work professionals — plays a vital role in early HIV testing, treatment adherence, and holistic care. ART regimens can dramatically improve a patient’s quality of life and survival. Addressing the psychological and social complexities of AIDS is crucial to ensure long-term patient engagement and wellness. San Francisco has been highlighted as a geographic region of HIV studies and health prevention for almost half a century since the first documented cases of HIV and AIDS reshaped public health policies to prevent disease spread. A systematic effort is being made to monitor HIV infection, remove barriers to HIV care, and reduce health disparities, especially among vulnerable populations.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Part One: An Overview of HIV/AIDS
    • Pathophysiology of HIV/AIDS and Progression to AIDS
    • Stages of HIV/AIDS
    • Case Study: Staging and Cell Count Testing
  • Epidemiology and Incidence
    • Prevalence of HIV
    • Example: California Prevalence and Demographics:
    • Transmission and Risk Factors
    • Testing and Treatment of HIV
    • Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
    • Post-Exposure Prophylaxis
  • Antiretroviral Therapy: Primary Treatment of HIV
    • Initiating ART: Regimen Selection and Dosing Considerations
    • ART Dosing and Individualized Treatment
    • Single vs. Multi-Tablet Regimens
    • Non-Adherence and Drug Resistance
    • Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine
    • Oral Dosing versus Long-Acting Injection
  • ART Prescribing Precautions and Special Considerations
    • Special Populations and Conditions When Considering ART:
    • General ART Considerations and Drug Interactions
    • Monitoring Recommendations and Drug Toxicity
    • Clinical Presentation and Management
    • Evolving Types of HIV Treatment and Strategies
  • Transmission and Prevention of HIV
    • HIV Transmission
    • Sexual Transmission
    • Blood Transfusion Transmission
    • Case Study: Blood Transmission in an Adolescent
    • Occupational Exposure
    • Case Study: Occupational Exposure in a Laboratory Worker
    • Maternal-to-child Transmission
    • Case Study: HIV Transmission through Breastfeeding
  • Combined ART and Immunity
    • HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorder
    • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome
  • HIV Disease Spread and AIDS
  • Part Two: Social Determinants of Health in HIV/AIDS Populations
    • Socioeconomic Equity in the Treatment of HIV
  • Support, Recovery, and Prevention of HIV/AIDS
    • Informed Consent for HIV Treatment
    • Legal Considerations
  • Social Workers and Mental Health Team Roles
    • Mental Health Care
    • Marginalized Groups and Stigma
  • Educating Health Teams and People Living With HIV
    • Marginalized Populations and Cultural Responsiveness
  • Barriers to HIV Care and Harm Reduction
    • Prevention and Harm Reduction: Needle Exchange Programs and Condoms
    • Community Resources and Support Groups
    • Online Platforms for HIV Support
    • Wrap-Around Support
    • Interprofessional Health Team
  • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
    • Receiving the HIV Diagnosis
    • Trauma-Informed Communication
  • Case Studies and Practical Applications
    • Case Study 1: 55-Year-Old Male Patient with Crohn’s Disease
    • Case Study 2: Self-Referred 16-Year-Old Cisgender Male with Risk Factors
    • Case Study 3: Supporting Adherence in an Unhoused Adolescent
    • Key Takeaways: Case Studies
  • Summary

Authors

Marilyn Lajoie, MD, DC, CCSP

Dr. Marilyn Lajoie obtained her medical degree from Saba University School of Medicine in 1999, Her residency began with one year of Anatomical and Surgical Pathology at Orlando Regional Medical Center, before transferring within the same post-graduate residency program to Internal Medicine. Upon completion of residency, she went into private practice in Orlando, where she specialized in Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine and Rehab, as well as acute and chronic pain management. Before becoming a medical doctor, she had practiced as a Chiropractic Physician, graduating from New York Chiropractic College in 1980, practicing initially on Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Florida where she had a successful chiropractic practice and physical rehabilitation center, and gained recognition as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. Dr. Lajoie was also the Director of Physical Therapy at Horizon Hospital, a residential and outpatient psychiatric hospital, and later, continued in the same capacity at Horizon’s sister psychiatric hospital in Brooksville, Florida. Dr. Lajoie maintained her chiropractic license and continued to practice both Internal Medicine and Chiropractic throughout private practice, until moving to the Veterans Healthcare System in 2014. Continuing in both fields, she became the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Montana VA, where she completed her service in 2021. Dr. Lajoie now works predominantly in telemedicine, and in an Expert Witness capacity for both medical and chiropractic cases. Still living in Montana, she enjoys being able to treat not only the rural areas of the state through this technology, but also patients across the US where she maintains multiple active state licenses. She and her husband also own a llama ranch with over thirty llamas that are hand selected for rare genetics. At the llama ranch, the public is invited to come and visit to learn about these elegant creatures, and to see ranch life firsthand – llama style! Dr. Lajoie and her husband have six adult children, as well as seven dogs.

Kathryn Brogan, MD

Kathryn Brogan, MD is a physician and board-certified general and child and adolescent psychiatrist. Dr. Brogan graduated from medical school at University of Louisville School of Medicine in 2016. She then completed Psychiatry Residency at Northwestern University and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at University of Utah, graduating in 2021. Dr. Brogan’s special interests and areas of expertise include first break psychosis, bipolar disorder, psychopharmacology, and systems of care. In addition to clinical and academic work, Dr. Brogan is passionate about advocacy, teaching, and physician-led team based care.

Lys Hunt, MSW, LICSW

Lys Hunt, MSW, LICSW earned her Master’s Degree from the Boston University School of Social Work and completed intensive postgraduate programs in family therapy and couples therapy through the Family Institute of Cambridge. Following these programs, she completed a post-graduate fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry. Throughout her years of experience, Lys provided clinical services and supervision at both the Arbour-Choate Hospital in Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.  Her current clinical work specializes in the areas of mental health and child and family welfare.