About the PADENA Virtual Series
Newcomers from Asia made up 63% of immigrant settlers to Canada between 2017 to 2019 and are the fastest-growing group amongst all racialized groups in the U.S.(1-3). According to the 2019 Surveillance Report by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Asians living with HIV (East, Southeast, South, West Asians, Middle Eastern, and Arabs) made up 9.9% of all Canadians living with HIV, exceeding the number of Latinx living with HIV (4).
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In the U.S., the care and retention rates for Positive Asian Americans (59% and 47%) lagged the national average (64% and 49%) (5). While similar trends are expected for Canada, race-based data for prevention, treatment and care cascade are primarily unknown as PHAC has not published it.
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To facilitate our understanding of these trends, Ontario Positive Asians (OPA+) and ACAS collaborated on an inaugural four-part Positive Asians Disaporic Experiences in North America (PADENA) Virtual Forum Series in 2022/23, and will once again offer the highly-engaged knowledge translation exchange 2024 PADENA in Canada Virtual Conference in 2024.
PADENA aims to discuss how the current HIV/AIDS response in Canada and the U.S. is leaving Positive Asians behind—at the same time, how we can increase the visibility of Positive Asians and improve long-term holistic health and well-being through enhancing linkage to care.
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To achieve this using a four-part virtual forum to engage in deliberate dialogues intended to lead to concrete solutions to support the health and well-being of Positive Asians. Our virtual presentations are often led by peer experts or allies possessing experiences supporting Poz Asians living in the disapora.
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PADENA is proudly presented by Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS) and Ontario Positive Asians (OPA+), with the generous support of Gilead Health Sciences, the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), the Canadian Association for Global Health, and ViiV Healthcare.
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References:
1. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/dai/smr08/2021/smr08_250
2. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-state-detail.html