This article by Matthew S. Bajko (m.bajko@ebar.com) originally appeared in the Bay Area Reporter

Estimated percentage of the adult population (15 years and older) living with HIV which is aged 50 years or over, by region, by 2012. (Source UN.org)

As the global AIDS epidemic continues to age, greater focus is being paid to older adults living with HIV.

AIDS advocates are calling on service providers and health departments to tailor HIV prevention services, including HIV testing, to meet the needs of people aged 50 and above. And new guidelines for doctors with patients who have HIV are being released that highlight the need to focus on preventive care.

The issue of an aging HIV and AIDS population has been a growing focus for local health officials for several years now, with new programs being developed to address the specific needs older adults are confronting due to the AIDS epidemic.

A 2011 Bay Area Reporter story noted that for the first time people 50 years of age or older accounted for the majority of people living with an AIDS diagnosis in San Francisco.

The 2012 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Report released by the Department of Public Health demonstrated the aging of persons living with HIV, with decreasing proportions in the 30-39 and 40-49 years age groups accompanied by persons aged 50 years or above rising from 42 to 51 percent between 2009 and 2012.

For the full article, which originally appeared in the Bay Area Reporter click here

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Diverse Elders Coalition.