Knowledge of modes of transmission of the HIV and HIV/AIDS risk regarding HIV/AIDS among seniors in upstate NY

Many older persons continue to be sexually active, but may not practice safe sex, not believing themselves to be at any risk for HIV infection (CDC, 2008). This, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation is due to limited knowledge and misconceptions about HIV modes of transmission among Seniors. They are also the least likely age group to get tested for the HIV even though the CDC recommends at least an annual check-up for those who are sexually active.

The NY State Department of Health (2009) reports a steady increase in rates of Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Chlamydia. The NY State Department of Health (2012) also reported that HIV/AIDS has transitioned from being considered a young person's disease to an older person's disease because 76% of persons living in NY state today are 40+ years old. The prevalence rate of HIV (not AIDS) is 404.0 per 100,000 in just the 50-59 age group.

The purpose of the study was to identify gaps in knowledge about modes of transmission of the HIV and examine whether knowledge about HIV correlates with perceived susceptibility for getting HIV/AIDS in the senior population in upstate NY.

The HIV Prevention Knowledge Test and Zagumny's AIDS Health Belief Scale was administered to a sample of seniors residing in upstate NY. Significant gaps in knowledge regarding modes of transmission of the HIV were discovered in this age group, and these were correlated with low levels of perceived susceptibility regarding HIV.