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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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