PORT ANGELES — Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease worldwide and is extremely harmful for people living with HIV, according to the Peninsula College Studium Generale speaker at 12:35 p.m. Thursday.
Although HIV infection was previously considered to be fatal, it has increasingly become a manageable chronic disease due to advancements in treatment. While people living with HIV live longer as a result of antiretroviral therapy, they now experience substantial comorbid, non-AIDS-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease and cancer.
Shahida Shahrir Mellon will present, “Cigarette Smoking and HIV: Health Consequences and the Need for Cessation among People Living with HIV,” in the Little Theater on the Port Angeles campus at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. The lecture is free and open to the public. It also can be seen on Zoom.
She will emphasize the importance of understanding that smoking cessation has emerged as a critical, modifiable component to improve the health of people living with HIV.
Shahrir Mellon recently received her doctorate from the University of Washington School of Public Health. Her research focuses on tobacco use, smoking cessation, and populations living with HIV.
She currently works on several projects related to these topics for the University of Washington and the Veterans Health Administration. She lives in Sequim with her family and serves on the Clallam County Board of Health.
