The number of seniors with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) continues to grow rapidly both through new infections among older adults and the natural aging of adults infected at younger ages. The World Health Organization estimates that the total number of people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide is rapidly approaching 50 million. In some countries, seniors aged 50 and above comprise between 5% and 11% of the HIV‐positive population. However, many more seniors are affected by this pandemic while providing care to infected family members and at the same time losing potential sources for their own support.
In the United States, an estimated 1.1 million people were living with HIV or AIDS at the end of 2003. In 2004 alone 10% of all reported AIDS cases and 15% of all HIV or AIDS cases diagnosed and reported were 50 years and above, with a quarter of these above 60 years. The incidence rates are higher among older women than older men, with...
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2005) HIV/AIDS surveillance report. 16:1–46
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The AIDS InfoNet, New Mexico AIDS Education and Training Center, University of New Mexico School of Medicine: Older People and HIV (2005) Albuquerque, NM, April 30, 2005. http://www.aidsinfonet.org/articles.php?articleID = 616
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O'Shea, D.J. (2008). Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In: Loue, S.J., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_7
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