Older Women & HIV

HIV infections are on the rise. According to theinfection rates. That means that just under half of all
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), theHIV infections are found in women worldwide.
number of Americans over 50 who are infected withOne reason for the higher number of older women
HIV have grown over 5 times (16,300 people in 1995,with HIV was found in a study recently published by
to 90,600 in 2003). While seniors represent aboutEmory University. They surveyed 514 women over
14% of people with HIV, senior women representthe age of 50, and found that their knowledge about
18%. The numbers of women with infections aretransmission was poor. For example, approximately
even higher for American women of color, and come50% of women believed that vasectomies and
in at a staggering 47% when looking at world HIVdiaphragms prevent the spread of HIV.