Mature Market Experts

Mature Market Experts: more mature market news and stats more often – AIDS and the Mature Market – It is estimated that ten percent of all AIDS cases are people age 50 and older, with one quarter of these cases being people over age 60 (National Association on HIV Over 50, 2001). In a study documented by the National AIDS Manual (NAM), it was found that of people aged 60-79 who had died while in an elder care residential setting, 5% were found to have positive HIV antibodies although none of these people had a previous HIV infection and none died as a direct cause of HIV infection. NAM also reports that untreated, older HIV-positive individuals are twice as likely to die as their younger, untreated counterparts (Bernard, 2005).

The reasons for this age group being at particular risk for infection are varied. Many older adults have not been sensitized to the mass media surrounding sexually transmitted diseases in recent years as their younger counterparts. Substantial numbers of older adults have been in long term, monogamous relationships where the focus has not traditionally been on practicing safe sex methods. This may result in less knowledge of what practices are available to engage in safe sex when elders find themselves seeking new partners in their later years (Griffith, 2007).

Source: University of Maine, Aging Center