HIV, AIDS, and Older People
By: National
Institute on Aging
Grace was a happily married woman with a family and a career. After
more than 20 years of marriage, her husband left her. After her divorce,
she began dating George, a close family friend she had known for years.
They became lovers. Because she was beyond childbearing years, she wasn't
worried about getting pregnant and didn't think about using condoms. And
because she had known George for years, it didn't occur to her to ask
about his sexual history or if he had been tested for HIV.
At age 55 she had a routine medical checkup. Her blood tested
positive for HIV. George had infected her. She will spend the rest of her
life worrying that the virus would develop into life-threatening AIDS -
that any cough, sneeze, rash or flu would, in fact, indicate AIDS and
perhaps the beginning of the end of her life.
What Is HIV? AIDS?
HIV (short for human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that kills
cells in your immune system, the system that fights diseases. Once your
immune system is weakened to the point where you get certain types of
life-threatening diseases, infections, and cancers, you have what is
called AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most
advanced stage of HIV infection. If there's any chance that you might be
infected with HIV, you should be tested because now there are drugs you
can take to help your body keep the HIV in check and fight against AIDS.
Many people do not have any symptoms when they are first infected with
HIV. It can take as little as a few weeks for minor flu-like symptoms to
show up or as long as 10 years or more for more serious symptoms. Symptoms
can include headache, chronic cough, diarrhea, swollen glands, lack of
energy, loss of appetite and weight loss, frequent fevers and sweats,
frequent yeast infections, skin rashes, pelvic and abdominal cramps, sores
on certain parts of your body, and short-term memory loss. People age 50
and older may not recognize HIV symptoms in themselves because they think
what they are feeling and experiencing is part of normal aging.
How Do People Get HIV/AIDS?
ANYONE can get HIV and AIDS. Regardless of your age, and especially if
you are 50 years old or older, you may be at risk for HIV if any of the
following is true:
If you are sexually active and don't use a
male latex condom. You can get HIV/AIDS from having sex with someone
who is infected with the HIV virus. The virus passes from the infected
person to another through the exchange of body fluids such as blood,
semen, and vaginal fluid. HIV can get into your body during sex through
any opening, such as a tear or cut in the lining of the vagina, vulva,
penis, rectum or mouth.
If you don't know your partner's sexual and
drug history. Has your partner been tested for HIV/AIDS? Has he or she
had a number of different sex partners? Does your partner inject drugs?
If you inject drugs and share needles or
syringes with other people. Drug users are not the only people who
might share needles. People with diabetes, for example, who inject insulin
or draw blood to test glucose levels, might share needles. If you have
shared needles for any reason or if you have had sex with someone who has,
you should be tested for HIV/AIDS.
If you had a blood transfusion between 1978
and 1985, or a blood transfusion or operation in a developing country at
any time.
If any one of the above is true, you should be tested for HIV/AIDS.
Check your local phone directory for the number of a hospital or health
center where you can get a list of test sites. In most states the tests
can be confidential (you give your name) or anonymous (you don't give your
name).
There are many myths about HIV/AIDS. The examples below are FACTS:
You cannot get HIV through casual contact such
as shaking hands or hugging a person with HIV/AIDS.
You cannot get HIV from using a public
telephone, drinking fountain, restroom, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, or hot
tub.
You cannot get HIV from sharing a drink or
being coughed or sneezed on by a person with HIV/AIDS.
You cannot get HIV from donating blood.
You cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite.
Is HIV/AIDS Different in Older People?
The number of older people with HIV/AIDS is on the rise. About 10% of
all people diagnosed with AIDS in the United States - some 75,000
Americans - are age 50 and older. Because older people don't get tested
for HIV/AIDS on a regular basis, there may be even more cases than we
know. How has this happened?
Because older Americans know less about
HIV/AIDS than younger age groups: how it is spread; the importance of
using condoms and not sharing needles; the importance of getting tested;
the importance of talking to their doctor.
Because health care workers and educators have
neglected the middle age and older population in terms of HIV/AIDS
education and prevention.
Because older people are less likely than
younger people to talk about their sex lives or drug use with their
doctors.
Because doctors don't tend to ask their older
patients about sex or drug use. It is harder for doctors to recognize
symptoms of HIV/AIDS in older people. Doctors need to talk to their
patients about the specific behaviors that put them at risk for HIV/AIDS.
Older people often mistake HIV/AIDS symptoms for the aches and pains of
normal aging so, they are less likely than younger people to get tested
for HIV/AIDS. They may be embarrassed, ashamed, and fearful of being
tested for HIV/AIDS, a disease connected with having sex and injecting
drugs. People age 50 and over may have had the virus for years before
being tested. By the time they are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, the virus may
be in its most advanced stages.
Older people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS do not live as long as younger
people who have the virus. It is important to get tested early. The
earlier you begin medical treatment, the better your chances for living
longer.
Many older people who have HIV/AIDS live in isolation because they are
afraid to tell family and friends about their illness. They may have more
severe depression than younger people. Older people are less likely to
join support groups. Older people with HIV/AIDS need help coping both
emotionally and physically with the disease. As the infection progresses,
they will need help getting around and caring for themselves. Older people
with AIDS need support and understanding from their doctors, family,
friends, and community.
HIV/AIDS affects older people in yet another way. Many younger people
with HIV/AIDS turn to their parents and grandparents for financial support
and nursing care. Many older people have cared for their own children with
HIV/AIDS and then for their orphaned and sometimes HIV-infected
grandchildren. Taking care of others can be mentally, physically, and
financially draining. This is particularly true for older caregivers.
Taking care of someone with HIV/AIDS can be very stressful and hard.
HIV/AIDS, People of Color and Women
Of all the people age 50 and over with AIDS, more than half (52%) are
African American and Hispanic. Of all men age 50 and over with AIDS, 49%
are African American and Hispanic. Of all women age 50 and over with AIDS,
70% are African American and Hispanic. The number of HIV/AIDS cases
continues to rise in communities of color. Educators, health care workers,
and community leaders need to inform and warn people about HIV - the
dangers of having sex without a condom, the dangers of injecting drugs and
using infected needles, and the importance of getting tested.
The number of older women with HIV/AIDS, regardless of race, is also on
the rise. Over a recent 5- year period, the number of new AIDS cases in
women age 50 and older increased by 40%. Two thirds of the women got the
virus because they had sex with infected partners. Nearly one third of the
women got HIV because they shared needles.
There may be a connection between HIV/AIDS and women in menopause. For
example, women who are no longer worried about getting pregnant may be
less likely to use a condom and practice safe sex. Some menopausal women
have vaginal dryness and thinning. This means they are more likely to have
small tears and abrasions during sex. This can put women at greater risk
for HIV. Because women may live longer than men and because of the rising
rate of divorce, there are a large number of widowed, divorced, or
separated women starting to date. Because many of these women do not
understand how HIV/AIDS is spread, they may be at risk.
Treatment and Prevention
There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Once you are infected, there are a
number of medical treatments available to help keep the HIV virus in check
and to help guard against AIDS. If there's any chance you might be
infected, get tested. Early medical treatment is important, especially for
middle aged and older people. Your doctor or medical provider can give you
information about the kinds of treatments available. Doctors and medical
providers should talk to patients about the risk of HIV/AIDS, get the
patient's sex and drug histories, and encourage HIV testing if there is
any chance that the patient has been infected.
Remember, HIV/AIDS is all about behaviors. By practicing all the
following behaviors, you can greatly reduce your risk of getting HIV/AIDS:
If you are having sex, make sure your partner
is HIV negative.
Use male or female latex condoms (latex or
polyurethane) during sex.
Do not share needles or any other drug use
paraphernalia.
If you or your partner had a blood transfusion
between 1978 and 1985 or an operation orblood transfusion in a developing
country at any time, get tested.
Resources
Health agencies in most cities offer HIV testing. The following
national organizations have information about HIV/AIDS:
AARP
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
202-434-2260
http://www.aarp.org/griefandloss
AARP has information on HIV/AIDS and its impact on mid-life and older
adults. Ask about "It Can Happen to Me," a 28-minute videotape
and discussion guide (available for loan or sale) for older adults or
health care professionals.
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies
at The University of California, San Francisco
74 New Montgomery Street
Suite 600
San Francisco, California 94105
415-597-9100
http://www.caps.ucsf.edu
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS
Hotline
1-800-342-AIDS
1-800-344-7432 for Spanish
1-800-243-7889 (TTY)
http://www.ashastd.org/nah/nah.html
hiv@ashastd.org
The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It offers general
information and referrals to resources in your area
CDC National Prevention
Information Network
PO Box 6003
Rockville, Maryland 20849
1-800-458-5231
1-800-243-7012 (TTY)
info@cdc.npin.org
The clearinghouse offers free government publications and information.
National Association on HIV Over
Fifty
c/o Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center
808 S. Wood Street, MSC 779
Chicago, Illinois 60612
312-996-1373
http://www.uic.edu/depts/matec/nahof.html
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Office of Communications
Building 31, Room 7A32
Bethesda, Maryland 220892
http://www.niaid.nih.gov
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the NIAID provides
information about AIDS research and clinical trials.
Senior Action in a Gay Environment
(SAGE)
305 7th Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, New York 10001
212-741-2247
http://www.sageusa.org
SAGE provides HIV/AIDS information and referrals for people age 50 and
over.
Social Security Administration
Call your local office or:
1-800-SSA-1213
Social Security has disability benefit programs that provide financial
assistance to eligible AIDS patients.
For more information on health and aging, contact:
National Institute on Aging
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
800-222-2225
800-222-4225 (TTY)
http://www.nih.gov/nia
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