CDC
Publishes New Website Section on HIV/AIDS in People Aged 50 and Older
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently added a new fact sheet
on its HIV/AIDS website entitled "HIV/AIDS among Persons Aged 50 and Over."
Following is a summary of the most recent epidemiology data for this age group,
as posted in the new section:
The number of persons aged 50 years and older
living with HIV/AIDS has been increasing in recent years. This increase is partly
due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) -- which has made it possible
for many HIV-infected persons to live longer -- and partly due to newly diagnosed
infections among persons over the age of 50.
As
the U.S. population continues to age, it is important to be aware of specific
challenges faced by older Americans and to ensure that they get information and
services to help protect them from infection.
The
Numbers
Based
on data from 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting,
persons aged 50 and over accounted for:
15% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses;
24% of persons living with HIV/AIDS (increased
from 17% in 2001).
Additionally,
in 2005, there were racial/ethnic disparities in HIV/AIDS diagnoses among persons
50 years of age and older. The rates of HIV/AIDS among persons 50 and older were
12 times as high among blacks (51.7 per 100,000) and 5 times as high among Hispanics
(21.4 per 100,000) compared with whites (4.2 per 100,000).
Persons aged
50 years and older accounted for:
19% of all AIDS diagnoses;
29% of persons living with AIDS;
35%
of all deaths of persons with AIDS.
Estimated
Numbers of Cases of HIV/AIDS, by Age: 2005
*Based
on data from 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting.
The
full fact sheet, which also includes information on HIV prevention challenges
and the CDC's response. 
3/11/08
Source
Divisions
of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and
TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS among Persons
Aged 50 and Over. February 29, 2008.
