More than 1 million Americans are living with HIV. One-fourth of them do not know they are infected because they have never been tested.

People who are infected with HIV but do not know it are not accessing the care and treatment they need and may be unknowingly spreading the disease to others.

Think you can’t be infected with HIV? Think again.

HIV Affects People Age 50 and Older
HIV does not discriminate. It affects men and women of all ages, including older people.

In 2006, Americans age 50 and older accounted for the following:
•    15 percent of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses
•    26 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS
•    38 percent of all deaths of people with AIDS

Recent news reports have highlighted the alarming increase of HIV infections among older people across the country. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that new HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adults age 50 and older in Georgia has nearly doubled in the last 10 years. Similarly, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the percentage of new HIV diagnoses among people age 50 and older in Florida increased from 11 percent of all new diagnoses in 1998 to 15 percent in 2006, according to State data.

Why Are Older People at Risk?
There are many reasons why older people are at special risk for becoming infected with HIV.

Older people came of age before AIDS. AIDS was first identified in the United States in 1981. Those who grew up before this time may not have received the information about HIV/AIDS prevention that younger generations did.

Many tuned out HIV information. Older people who were married for many years or in long-term, monogamous relationships may have ignored information about HIV prevention, thinking it did not apply to them. Now, after being widowed or divorced, many are entering intimate relationships again for the first time in decades. Compared with those who are younger, they may be less knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and therefore less likely to protect themselves.

Some are shy about talking to their doctors. While many older people will talk to their doctors about all kinds of medical concerns, they are often shy to bring up a subject as intimate as HIV. In a 2007 national survey of people ages 57 to 85, only about one-third of older men and one-fifth of older women said they discussed their sex lives with their doctors.

Doctors underestimate their older patients’ risk. Some older people assume that their doctors will bring up the subject of HIV testing. But many doctors buy into the myth that older people are not having sex. That is simply not true. The survey of older adults’ sexual activity found that a majority of adults ages 57 to 85 have sex two to three times per month. Doctors who underestimate their older patients’ risk may miss opportunities to deliver prevention messages or offer HIV testing.

Some may mistake signs of AIDS for normal aging. Some older people may mistake the early symptoms of AIDS―such as fatigue, weight loss, and confusion―for the aches and pains of normal aging. AIDS can therefore go undetected and untreated.

Know Your Status. Get Tested for HIV.
If you do not know if you are infected with HIV, you could be spreading it to others. If you are HIV-positive, you must take steps to prevent passing your HIV infection to another person.

If you find out that you have HIV, it does not mean that you are going to get sick and die. While there is no cure for HIV, new drugs are available that can help you stay healthy.

To learn more about HIV testing, visit http://www.AIDS.gov/takecontrol.