Individuals with substance use disorders are more susceptible to HIV because of needle sharing, sex work to earn money for drugs, and ultimately, entrance into a correctional facility. Prisons are a high-risk environment for HIV transmission with drug use and needle sharing, tattooing with homemade and unsterile equipment, and high-risk sex and rape. HIV affects approximately 1.3% of inmates in correctional facilities, which is more than 4x the prevalence found in the general United States population. Treating individuals at risk for HIV for substance use disorder is especially important to help them avoid HIV infection and further time in the judicial system after release. Making sure individuals with HIV get treated for substance use disorder is critical to help them live a healthier lifestyle and avoid further health complications – in and after incarceration.

This session will highlight how and why HIV and SUD co-occur, current treatments, and where the science is headed.

Educational Objectives

• Identify the risks, symptoms and treatments for SUD in patients being treated for HIV
• Review a treatment overview for patients receiving therapy for HIV
• Discuss newly approved HIV treatments, including long-acting injectables

Level

Intermediate