Educational Initiatives Launched to Address HIV Disparities in Asia

MANHATTAN, N.Y. - Nov. 23, 2022 - PRLog -- DKBmed LLC is expanding its extensive repertoire of educational activities that address key gaps in provider knowledge around HIV screening, prevention, diagnosis, and management. The first new addition to the company's programming, entitled Patient Voices: HIV & Treatment in Asia, consists of two, 30-minute modules featuring faculty in Asia and the United States and three patients with HIV discussing their challenges. The other, HIV Learning Lab China, features five webcasts designed to address pertinent clinical challenges encountered by healthcare providers working in China.

Patient Voices: HIV & Treatment in Asia can be found at hivasia.dkbmed.com

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 6 million individuals live with HIV in Asia. Of these individuals, a little under two-thirds (64%) are currently receiving life-sustaining antiretroviral therapies (ART) that should be administered as early as possible. In China, HIV/AIDS-related deaths have increased by 25% between 2005 and 2019, while incidence in that time has increased by a factor of 15. Although the Chinese government has mounted a vigorous response to the HIV epidemic in the 21st century, significant gaps remain in care that limit the efficacy of efforts to control the spread of disease, particularly in rural provinces with less robust medical infrastructure.

"Clinicians working in the Asia and Pacific region confront unique challenges relative to their counterparts in Western countries," notes Tanyaporn Wansom, MD, PhD, Senior Infectious Diseases Consultant, Chayun Consulting, Bangkok, Thailand. "Cultural forces can obstruct the delivery of care to marginalized groups that disproportionately suffer from HIV, such as sex workers and men who have sex with men. And educational initiatives that help dismantle modifiable barriers are key in efforts to reverse the rising incidence of HIV in China and other Asian countries."

The Patient Voices: HIV & Treatment in Asia program contains a suite of supplementary features designed to enhance learning experiences. Participants can seamlessly assess relevant clinical trial data, access recently published studies, and review other resources that can guide decision-making for patients with HIV. The webcasts, delivered by both US and Asian faculty in English, are also available as downloadable transcripts for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese learners. Complementing faculty-led lectures are patient-led segments in which individuals with HIV share their experiences and thoughts regarding how to improve care. Both webcasts additionally review how to screen for and manage HIV, navigate comorbidities and drug resistance, engage in shared decision-making, and evaluate new options for care.