The Graying of HIV

Data from a comprehensive study of HIVers over 50 indicates that members of this aging population are likely to have high rates of depression and numerous age-related complications, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, vision loss, and diabetes, which are further exacerbated by their HIV disease. The study, 'Research on Older Adults With HIV,' was aimed at understanding how a compromised immune system is affected by age-related conditions in the hope of being able to improve HIV-positive seniors' quality of life. Working with a sample of 100,000 New Yorkers living with HIV--31% of whom were over 50--the researchers also found that ' 67% were heterosexual ' 70% lived alone ' 82% were not working ' More than 50% were on disability ' Incidence of depression was almost 13 times greater than that among the general New York population ' Stigma of HIV is so pervasive that fewer than half had shared news of their diagnosis with family members and only 35% had told friends