National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD) is observed every September 18. In 2008, the AIDS Institute proclaimed this day to raise awareness about the challenges faced by older adults in relation to HIV, including prevention, testing, care, and treatment.
- Adults over 50 years of age represent between 17% and 39.7% of new diagnoses in the U.S.
• Around 37% of older individuals who were diagnosed with HIV in 2016 are of Hispanic and Latino origin.
• This group also shares with young people the risk factors for HIV: such as lack of information on the subject; sexual risk, such as multiple sexual partners.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of the U.S. population living with HIV is over 50 years old. Although new HIV diagnoses are decreasing among people over 50, at least 1 in 6 individuals in this age group are still living with HIV (based on 2016 figures).
About 42% of older individuals who were diagnosed with HIV in 2016 were African American; 37% were Caucasian; 18% were Hispanic and Latino; and 4% were other races/ethnicities.
Between 2011 and 2015, HIV diagnoses among older adults decreased by 7%. In 2016, 35% of those diagnosed already had advanced disease.
Women over 50 tend to use condoms less because they are less likely to get pregnant. Another factor for women is that, with age, vaginal tissue thins and dries out, which increases the chances of infection by the virus.
Furthermore, stigma affects the self-image and quality of life of older adults, leading them to forgo proper HIV care and even live in secrecy. Therefore, raising awareness about the risk of infection, prevention, and ensuring that those living with HIV know they are not alone and that with the necessary care they can achieve a better quality of life are crucial.
Among the challenges is that older adults are more likely to be diagnosed with an opportunistic infection at more advanced stages than younger people, meaning that they will start treatments late and consequently suffer more damage to their immune system.
From: https://mundohispanico.com/dia-nacional-del-hiv-aids-y-el-envejecimiento/