141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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283754
Knowledge of modes of transmission of the HIV and HIV/AIDS risk regarding HIV/AIDS among seniors in upstate NY


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Chistina Kolankiewicz, BA, Department of Health Science, The College at Brockport, Brockport, NY
Priya Banerjee, PhD, Department of Health Science, State University of New York, College at Brockport, Brockport, NY
Many older persons continue to be sexually active, but may not practice safe sex, not believing themselves to be at any risk for HIV infection (CDC, 2008). This, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation is due to limited knowledge and misconceptions about HIV modes of transmission among Seniors. They are also the least likely age group to get tested for the HIV even though the CDC recommends at least an annual check-up for those who are sexually active.

The NY State Department of Health (2009) reports a steady increase in rates of Gonorrhea, Syphilis and Chlamydia. The NY State Department of Health (2012) also reported that HIV/AIDS has transitioned from being considered a young person's disease to an older person's disease because 76% of persons living in NY state today are 40+ years old. The prevalence rate of HIV (not AIDS) is 404.0 per 100,000 in just the 50-59 age group.

The purpose of the study was to identify gaps in knowledge about modes of transmission of the HIV and examine whether knowledge about HIV correlates with perceived susceptibility for getting HIV/AIDS in the senior population in upstate NY.

The HIV Prevention Knowledge Test and Zagumny's AIDS Health Belief Scale was administered to a sample of seniors residing in upstate NY. Significant gaps in knowledge regarding modes of transmission of the HIV were discovered in this age group, and these were correlated with low levels of perceived susceptibility regarding HIV.

Learning Areas:

Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe the extent of HIV prevalence in the 50 + age group in nine counties in finger lakes region of upstate NY, Describe the gaps in knowledge regarding modes of transmission of the HIV/AIDS among 50 + age group in the finger lakes region of upstate NY, and Describe the level of perceived susceptibility and severity of getting the HIV among 50+ groups living in the finger lakes region of upstate NY.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Aging

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am completing a degree in Health Science with a concentration in Healthcare Administration and my research interest is in HIV/AIDS in the aging population.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4256.3: Health Promotion and Aging