The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #37624

Karolynn Siegel, PhD and Eric W. Schrimshaw, MA. Center for the Psychosocial Study of Health & Illness, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, 100 Haven Avenue, Suite 6A, New York, NY 10032

It is estimated that as many as 15% of individuals living with AIDS may be 50 years of age or older. Yetthere has been little investigation of their sexual adaptation to the illness. They may be particularly likely to become celibate in that both their age and their illness may restrict opportunities for sexual contact and may compromise sexual functioning. In order to identify reasons for becoming celibate following diagnosis with HIV/AIDS, data from focused interviews with 63 infected late middle-age and older adults were analyzed. Forty-eight percent reported that they were currently celibate or had been celibate for a substantial period of time following their diagnosis with HIV/AIDS. Celibacy was reproted more frequently by women (78%) than men (36%). Although men and women reported some similar reasons for celibacy -- most notably the fear of infecting others and fear of becoming reinfected -- there were also gender differences in the reasons offered. Additional reasons offered by women for their celibacy include: loss of interest in sex, anger at partner and distrust of men, and wanting to focus on themselves rather than men. Additional reasons offered by men include: fear of rejection or stigmatization, difficulty with sexual performance, and negative image of their aging bodies. The high rate of celibacy, particularly among women, and the finding that many reasons for celibacy are related to fear, anger and distrust suggests that older adults with HIV/AIDS may have difficulty resuming healthy sexual relationships following their diagnosis and that professional intervention may be helpful.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this paper, the participant will be able to

• Identify the rates of celibacy among HIV-infected older adults, and the gender differences in these rates.
• Articulate the reasons older adults with HIV offer for celibacy, and the different reasons offered by older men and women.
• Recognize the risk late middle-age and older adults living with HIV/AIDS have for problems resuming healthy sexual relationships following their HIV diagnosis due to both illness and age-related factors.
• Discuss potential need for intervention to reduce the barriers these older HIV-infected adults report which keep them from resuming healthy sexual relationships following diagnosis.

Keywords: Sex, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.