Clinical Research

Clinical Research

More clinical research relevant to people over 50 with HIV is needed. The NIH must expand HIV treatment research to include older adults. It is critical that we gain a greater understanding of how treatments interact with aging bodies. Due to the high prevalence of comorbidities among older adults with HIV, they are often screened out of clinical trials. As a result, this research reports little on how medications will affect them.

Additional NIH research on non-AIDS-related cancers (NARCs) is also necessary. From 2000 to 2005 incidences of NARCs increased. Some of the most common NARCs include anal and cervical cancer, lung cancer, and liver cancer. People living with HIV may be at an increased risk for developing NARCs, particularly those associated with infections like HPV. More research needs to be done to increase our understanding of what risks older people with HIV face in developing NARCs.

Prevention

Most HIV prevention campaigns have been developed for people under 50, but programs must be developed that speak to older adults. CDC funding for prevention targeting older adults needs to be increased to meet their specific public health challenges. Increased funding is needed to develop social marketing campaigns, create additional Effective Behavioral Interventions (EBIs), and implement interventions addressing stigma among older adults.

Social marketing campaigns targeting older adults are necessary to spread knowledge of sexual health and encourage safer sex. Studies show that many people over 50 are sexually active, but that levels of sexual activity taper off with increased age and are lower for women than men. An AARP study asked adults between 45 and 59 about recent sexual activity. Half of the women and 55% of the men reported sexual activity within the previous six months. Of those between 60 and 74, one-quarter of the women and 31% of the men reported sexual activity in the same period. Stark gender imbalances exist among older populations, with women outnumbering men. When there are many more women than men, older heterosexual women have less power, putting them at a disadvantage when negotiating condom use. Campaigns promoting condom use and the female condom could provide important tools for older women.

Many sexually active older adults take part in high-risk activities. ACRIA's Research on Older Adults with HIV (ROAH) study looked at older adults living with HIV in New York City. Of those who were sexually active, 47% used drugs or alcohol before sex. Another study found that 60% of older single women have had unprotected sex within the past decade. The CDC reports that over half of older African-American women living in rural areas have at least one risk factor for HIV, including unprotected sex. Many older adults lack sexual health knowledge and are unaware of the need to protect themselves.