A descriptive analysis of older adults with HIV/AIDS in California

Between 10 percent and 15 percent of all AIDS cases throughout the United States have been reported in people ages 50 and over. However, older adults often have been overlooked in research on HIV/AIDS. The study discussed in this article examined 571 individuals ages 30 to 81 who had been diagnosed with symptomatic HIV or AIDS. A cross-sectional analysis found that those in older age groups were more likely to be female, to live alone, to have private health insurance, and to have died during the study. The results of the study suggest that social workers need to be aware of and sensitive to the role ofsociodemographic factors in the lives of older HIV-infected individuals.