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More serious than wrinkles
American Fitness, May-June, 2003
More and more older Americans are becoming infected with HIV. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the fastest growing segment of our population with AIDS is the 50-and-older age group, with sexual activity being the most common reason for infection.
"More and more people in their 60s and 70s are beginning new relationships," says Dr. Robert Luchi, geriatrician at the Huffington Center on Aging at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "New therapies have allowed many older men to revive their sex lives and many older women are continuing to have active [ones]." Thus, it is imperative health care providers stress and educate older patients on the importance of safe sex.
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Unfortunately, most HIV symptoms, such as fatigue, weight loss or rashes, can also be associated with aging. Therefore, many seniors are not diagnosed until they are in a late stage of infection. "In a younger person, those symptoms would almost certainly prompt a doctor's visit to have themselves tested," says Dr. Robert Roush of Baylor's Huffington Center. Seniors also die sooner than their younger counterparts due to AIDS-related complications. These deaths can often be attributed to immune systems weakened by age.
Before adding sexual intimacy to a new relationship, Luchi recommends individuals have a frank talk with their partners, see their doctors and get tested.
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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
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