|
When most people think about HIV/AIDS,
they usually think about young people or
gay men. They don’t tend to think about heterosexual women over age 50.
But people over the age of 50 accounts for 15% of all newly diagnosed
cases of HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). There may even be more undiagnosed cases. In fact,
approximately 25% of people with HIV don’t even know they have it.
In
2006, the CDC released recommendations that everyone aged 13-64 get
tested--which reflects a change to test older adults. But the prevalent
ageism in health care may deter testing for HIV. Many health care
providers may assume that their older adult clients aren’t sexually
active and may not ask or even provide information on safer sex
practices. Many older adults, especially women, may not reveal to their
health care provider that they are sexually active.
Some
of the symptoms for HIV, such as fatigue, weight changes, memory loss,
and atherosclerosis can be confused for what some might consider “normal
aging.”
Women over 50, whether they be single, widowed, divorced, or separated,
may not think they are at risk. They have not considered themselves to
be at-risk at any part of their lives. Since they no longer are able to
get pregnant, sexual activity may not involve protection like a condom.
Also, the drying and thinning of the vagina makes women more susceptible
to getting HIV because of small cuts and tears. Most women (and men)
over 50 are not as well versed in safer sex practices as people in
younger generations because that was not something this generation had
to be knowledgeable about.
If
you are a woman over 50, and are sexually active, please consider the
following recommendations from The National Institute on Aging:
-
If you are sexually active, make sure
you and your partner have been tested and are free of HIV and other
sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia and gonorrhea. Use
male or female condoms and lubricant every time you have sex.
-
Do not share needles or any other
equipment used to inject drugs. If you have ever injected drugs –
even once many years ago—get tested for HIV and hepatitis C.
-
Get tested for HIV if you or your
partner had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985, and get
tested for hepatitis C if you had a blood transfusion before 1992.
-
Get tested for HIV and hepatitis C if
you or your partner had an operation or blood transfusion in a
developing country at any time.
Boulder County Public Health
-
Anonymous or confidential HIV test
with results in just 10 minutes for $35
-
Confidential hepatitis C test for $20
Call 303-413-7500 for
an appointment |
