Older women are at risk for HIV infection

Older women aren't at risk for HIV? Not true. The stigma is high, and positive older women often feel reluctant to disclose their status to friends and family.

One myth is that women over 50 are not at risk for HIV because they are no longer sexually active. Although older women are indeed sexually active, they are less likely to use condoms. Birth control is no longer a concern for post-menopausal women, and older women may not be as familiar with HIV prevention, seeing HIV as something that only affects younger people.

Many health organizations play into these myths. Older people with HIV or AIDS might be more prone to feeling isolated or stigmatized due to their positive status, or feel ignored by HIV campaigns that only target younger people. Health care workers do not see older women as at-risk, and many older women do not routinely get tested. Age also plays a role in misdiagnoses: HIV symptoms such as fatigue or weight loss might be viewed as simply signs of aging.

Help support and destigmatize older women with HIV. Check out the National Association on HIV Over Fifty (http://www.hivoverfifty.org/) and HIV Wisdom for Older Women (http://www.hivwisdom.org/).

If you think you or someone you love may be infected with HIV, be sure to visit a doctor to be tested.