Friday - Breakfast Symposium
Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Breakfast Symposium: Mental Health and HIV (Supported by
Boehringer-Ingelheim)
Location: Grand Ballroom, Grand Ballroom Level
Mental health problems are very common in the general
population, but people living with HIV are more likely to experience a range of
mental health issues. Unfortunately,
mental illness often goes undiagnosed in the HIV positive patient and therefore
untreated. HIV also can directly infect
the brain, causing impairment to memory and thinking. The goals of this educational symposium is to
explain the high rate of psychiatric disorders in people living with HIV,
distinguish between the symptoms of HIV infection and depression and explain
the impact of HIV on the immune system. In addition, the presenter will discuss mental health screening tools
that HIV care providers can utilize in order to connect people to care and
treatment who may be suffering from mental illness.
