Everyone talks about HIV and AIDS. We hear about its ravages on young men and women, on children born to HIV positive women, on the homeless and the addicted. What no one talks about is the effect HIV has on people over 50 years of age. It's no wonder that when you talk to our seniors, they feel HIV is not a risk to them.

In fact, about 11% of all new AIDS cases are in people over 50.

also show that new AIDS cases rose faster in the over 50 population than in people under 40. The following information sheds some light on the older HIV population and what can be done to decrease risk and improve their quality of life.

What is the Myth?
The first myth is that seniors don't have sex and therefore aren't at risk for HIV. In fact a 1994 study out of the University of Chicago proved that sexual desire does not wane after the age of 50. In the study, 60% of men and 37% of women 50-59 reported having sex a few times per month. Unfortunately, knowledge of safer sex practices is much less than that of persons in their late teens and early twenties.

Has HIV always affected people over 50?
Seniors and HIV is not a new phenomena. Since the early 80's, HIV in persons older than 50 accounted for about 10% of all cases. What has changed is the mode of transmission. Where blood transfusion was once the major transmission mode, now heterosexual contact and IV drug use are the main causes of HIV infection in our seniors. The figures are staggering. Heterosexual transmission in men over 50 is up 94% and 107% in women since 1991. And while prevention and education dollars are concentrated toward young adult populations, seniors needing more educating in safe sex techniques continue to become infected.

So what can be done?
First our traditional mode of thinking must change. Studies show that about 40% of physicians do not assess HIV risk factors in persons over 50. The contention that people over 50 do not have sexual risk contributes greatly to the lack of safe sex and HIV education. The Senior HIV Prevention Project in South Florida reports that many seniors still believe that HIV is transmitted only by blood transfusion and casual contact. This lack of HIV knowledge combined with the belief that safe sex is only for young women wanting to prevent pregnancy leads to at risk behavior among our elders. Without intensive education, post menopausal adults are less likely to discuss condom use, now that the risk of pregnancy is removed.

Secondly, stereotypes must be broken down. Society views a gay male as a white man in his twenties or thirties. Prevention and education money is therefore directed to those age groups. In fact, gay men over the age of 50 is a growing population. People today are living longer, healthier lives and as the over 50 population continues to rise, the number of gay men over 50 grows. While gay men have always been a target of prevention education, the risk remains and necessitates the same prevention efforts for the over 50 gay population.

Finally, the belief the IV drug users are younger adults couldn't be farther from the truth. The consensus used to be that IV drug users out grew their addiction, either by getting treatment or dying. Actually the CDC has reported a trend of heroin use starting much later in life. The typical story is an older man falls for a younger, drug addicted woman. One thing leads to another and the seductive link between sex and drug use results in men over 50 trying heroin for the first time. Once addicted, the same rules hold true for our older adults. The trend toward sharing needles and "works" results in an increased risk of HIV transmission.

Today we are faced with new challenges. We must take great effort in providing seniors with the education they need to stay healthy. We must erase the myths and realize HIV can strike anyone. So many times our elderly are left to fend for themselves. We forget the contributions they have made and the respect they deserve. Society and the medical community must not forget our seniors. That much they deserve.