Public Interest Miniconvention to focus on HIV/AIDS

New antiretroviral treatment combinations are capable of lowering viral load in people living with HIV to undetectable levels. Improved treatments have increased longevity of HIV-infected individuals and promoted a widespread reconceptualization of HIV infection as a 'chronic illness.'

Although optimism abounds, the truth is there is no cure or vaccine on the immediate horizon, HIV continues to spread, and new infections in the United States are occurring most rapidly among those who are least likely to have access to the care they need, including injection drug-users, women of color, young gay men and gay men of color. Regrettably, HIV will be with us for the foreseeable future.

In recognition of the lessons learned from both our successes and failures, the theme for this year?s Public Interest Directorate Miniconvention to be held in conjunction with APA?s Annual APA Convention in San Francisco, Aug. 14?18, is Innovation, Integration & Collaboration in the New Age of AIDS.

This comprehensive, seven-day miniconvention will include 80 hours of HIV/AIDS-related programming that involves the nation?s leading HIV/AIDS researchers, clinicians, educators, community providers and policy advocates.

The miniconvention was designed to be broad, multidisci-plinary, and multimethod (e.g., symposia, invited addresses, workshops, clinical forums, discussion sessions, networking events, and receptions).

The miniconvention begins Aug. 13, the day before the opening of the APA Convention, with a day-long symposium sponsored by the Office on AIDS Research of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This symposium, 'Celebrating 15 years of successes and renewing the commitment to halting HIV infection and its consequences,' will feature state-of-the-science presentations on various levels of HIV prevention interventions, such as those interventions delivered to individuals, couples, families, social networks, communities, states and the nation at-large.

The kick-off session on Friday, Aug. 14, the first day of the APA convention, will provide participants with an overview of major research contributions to HIV prevention from the perspective of psychology, anthropology, sociology, political science and operations research.

Presenters include leading researchers in their respective fields: Tom Coates, PhD, University of California?San Francisco; Jean Schensul, PhD, Institute for Community Research; Judith Levy, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago; John Bolland, PhD, University of Alabama; and, Ed Kaplan, Yale University.

In the five days of HIV/AIDS-related programming to follow, sessions will focus on cutting-edge issues such as:

? Coping and resilience in women living with HIV/AIDS

? HIV postexposure prophylaxis

? Adherence to antiretroviral treatment regimens

? HIV prevention for young gay men

? Family-based prevention of HIV risk behavior in youth

? HIV prevention and treatment for drug-using populations

? Methodological issues and innovations in HIV prevention research

? Hastened death and assisted suicide among HIV/AIDS patients

? Technology transfer of HIV- prevention science

? Culture and context in HIV prevention

? The integration of medical and behavioral advances in both prevention and care.

For more information on the miniconvention, contact: Ann Rutherford, APA Office on AIDS, (202) 336-6051, fax (202) 336-6040.