Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109822

Rose Marie Martin, MPH, Sindy Paul, MD, MPH, Helene Cross, PhD, and Abdel Rahman Ibrahim, PhD. Division of HIV/AIDS Services, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, P.O. Box 363, Trenton, NJ 08625-0363, 609-777-7750, Rose.Martin@doh.state.nj.us

HIV infection is growing relatively fast among seniors. Among the clinical implications are that older patients have less ability to fight infection and the number of co-morbid conditions increases with age. Other medications may interfere with HIV therapy. HIV/AIDS educational programs have overlooked older New Jerseyans while health providers do not adequately explore risk behaviors among seniors.

An HIV case is a person diagnosed and reported with HIV infection. An AIDS case has HIV infection and has been diagnosed with an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection or who meets the clinical definition of AIDS. An HIV/AIDS case is diagnosed and reported with either HIV or AIDS.

There were 1,051 New Jerseyans 50 or over living with HIV/AIDS in 1992 and 6,534 by 2002. Of persons 50 and over living with HIV/AIDS in 2002, 1/3 were 50 or over at diagnosis. The remaining 2/3 were diagnosed while younger, but lived to be at least 50. In 1992, 5.8% of HIV-infected males who had IDU as the mode of exposure were aged 50 or over; by 2002, almost one-third of all male IDUs living with HIV/AIDS were 50 and over. Females aged 50 and over living with HIV/AIDS in 2002 were exposed through heterosexual contact followed by IDU.

Prevention programs should be presented in places where seniors live. Health providers should be educated on the need for risk assessments for older patients, as well as on the need for communicating prevention messages, referring older patients for substance abuse treatment services and facilitating partner notification.

Learning Objectives: After reviewing this poster session, the participant will be able to

• Identify the clinical implications of HIV/AIDS in the population over 50.
• Describe the trends in the numbers of persons 50 and over living with HIV/AIDS, by gender and mode of exposure.
• Recognize the changes needed in prevention and programmatic areas in order to reach the older population with prevention, treatment and testing messages.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation