I wrote a blog article about this topic posted here
on September 16, 2010 and this is an addendum to the first article. Sadly, HIV
and AIDS is increasing instead of declining among the older population. About the statistics. Please note that statistics for “older adults”
may vary from agency to agency. Some government
agencies include people age 50+ or 55+ instead of 65 and over.
One fourth of all people with HIV/AIDS in the U.S
are age 50 and over. By the end of 2015,
that figure will double. Based on current projections, one half [50%] of all persons with HIV/AIDS will be age 50 and over.
Why?
1.
It is being diagnosed sooner.
2.
People are living longer.
3.
Older adults are not practicing safe
sex.
4.
They are not being screened for
it. Health workers do not ask middle-age
and older adults about HIV/AIDS prevention or their sexual practices.
5.
Older adults are not informed about
HIV/AIDS risks or testing.
What is HIV?
It is Human Immunodeficiency
Virus. The body is not able to fight
off diseases. In most cases, HIV can be
controlled and managed with drugs. Not
everyone with HIV gets AIDS. People can
live a fairly normal life with HIV. The
last stage of HIV is AIDS, or Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It
includes life-threatening diseases, infections, and cancers.
Among older adults, HIV is most commonly
contracted from
1.
Unprotected sex with multiple partners.
2.
Sharing diabetes insulin needles.
Symptoms of HIV may show up from a few weeks to
ten years! With a ten-year incubation period, think of how many others can be
infected by one person! It is
staggering. HIV symptoms are often
illusive and include headache, cough, diarrhea, swollen glands, lack of energy,
weight loss, lack of appetite, cramps, and memory loss. Because some of these symptoms may masquerade as other disorders or illnesses, HIV is often dismissed as a minor
illness or “just normal aging.”
There is only one test kit approved by the FDA and
it can be purchased for $59.95 from Home Access Express HIV-1. It requires a simple finger prick for
testing.
Credible sources for accurate information about
HIV and AIDS among older adults are shown below. If you work with older adults, please
disseminate this important information, as it has the potential to save
lives. If you are an older adult reading
this, please practice safe sex. Latex condoms
are not just for preventing pregnancy, they also are one safeguard against
acquiring HIV. Never ever share needles!
AGEDOC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CDC: HIV
Among People Aged 50 and Older
CDC: HIV
Among Older Americans
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library_factsheet_HIV_%20AmongOlderAmericans.pdf
National Institute on Aging [NIH]: HIV, AIDS, and Older People
WebMed: HIV,
AIDS, and Older Adults
