AIDS and Older Persons: An International Perspective

Published in 2002, this 21-page document explores the impact of the worldwide AIDS epidemic on persons age 50 and over. Since most of the epidemic occurs in the developing regions, especially Africa and Asia, efforts to understand and deal with the concerns of older persons in relation to AIDS in those settings needs expansion, according to the authors. Although older persons represent a non-negligible minority of the reported global caseload, a far higher proportion are affected through the illness and death of their adult children and younger generation relatives who contract AIDS.

This document is part of a research project funded by the United States (US) National Institute on Aging and conducted by a joint team of Thai and US researchers. The project explores the impact of HIV/AIDS on older persons in Thailand whose adult children are infected with the HIV virus.