Are You Too Old to get HIV-AIDS?

Dear GAA Reader,

Think you are too old to get HIV-AIDs?  Think again! 

The AOA (US Administration on Aging) has found that about 1.2 million people in the US now live with HIV.  One in five of these persons are unaware that they have the infection.  Why?  Because they've never been tested.  A test is the only sure way to know if you have HIV.

According to recent Center for Disease Control  reports, people over age 50 account for 17 percent of new HIV Cases in 40 states with "long-term confidential name-based reporting."  Also, those over 50 years account for 31 percent of persons living with an HIV diagnosis.

Do you think that most older people are not sexually active?   Think again:  Five years ago a national study of US persons found that persons between 57 and 85 years old are -- in fact -- sexually active.  Most of them are healthy older people. 

Older people living in the US are increasingly widowed or divorced.  They become involved in intimate relationships but are often ignorant of the health risks.  Many fail to use any protection. Only one third of older men have discussed sex issues with their doctor; only one in five women over 50 years has talked with her doctor about sex issues. Too many are clueless about HIV prevention or how to get tested. 

So, how do you get a test?  Visit this website for specific information:   http://www.hivtest.org
Or call: 1 800 232 4636. (Information is available in Spanish or English.) 

If you have questions or would like to share your experience or related information, please reply on our blog site. 

 Have a good day, Global Action on Aging