The surge in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among the elderly has emerged as a new social issue in China.
According to China News Weekly on December 16 (local time), the number of elderly HIV-infected individuals and AIDS patients is increasing not only in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces but also across various provinces in China. Some provinces in the southwestern and southern regions are reported to be experiencing particularly severe situations. Liang Xiaofeng, former deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and former president of the School of Public Health at Jinan University, told the media, "As the population ages, the number of elderly HIV-infected individuals and AIDS patients is likely to continue increasing, and it is crucial to pay sufficient attention to this issue at an early stage." When infected with HIV, immune cells are destroyed, leading to a higher risk of opportunistic infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and cancer. If not treated in time, it can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Number of Infected Individuals Aged 50 and Over: 33,000 in 2015 → 52,000 in 2022
According to a study published in 2023 in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology by L? Fan, deputy director of the AIDS Prevention Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and others, the number of newly reported HIV-infected individuals aged 50 and over in China increased from about 33,000 in 2015 to about 52,000 in 2022. Among them, the number of infected individuals aged 60 and over rose from about 17,400 in 2015 to about 27,000 in 2022, with most cases concentrated in some provinces in the southwest and south where AIDS epidemics are severe.
In AIDS research, those aged 50 and over are generally classified as "elderly." The average incubation period for AIDS is 2 to 10 years. Guo Wei, associate chief physician of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, told the media, "During the incubation period, HIV-infected individuals often show no obvious symptoms," adding, "In many cases, elderly patients are discovered not because of typical symptoms, but rather by chance during preoperative tests or when visiting the hospital for other illnesses."
China is experiencing an increase in the number of elderly people living alone, and the sexual desires of the senior population have long been ignored, making the elderly a new vulnerable group in the AIDS sexual transmission network. Photo unrelated to the article. Pexels
Most Elderly Infected Contracted HIV in Old Age... Aging Population, Increase in Elderly Living Alone, and Low Sexual Awareness
Several experts point out that most of the recent increase in elderly HIV-infected individuals and AIDS patients are cases of new infections acquired in old age. Why has the proportion of infections among the elderly risen so sharply? Experts agree that "the key is that the risk of infection among the elderly themselves has increased." The number of elderly people living alone is rising, the sexual desires of the senior population have long been ignored, and the rate of condom use is extremely low. Meanwhile, sexual health education targeting the elderly is almost nonexistent. As a result, the elderly are becoming a new vulnerable group in the AIDS sexual transmission network.
There are also social and psychological factors. As average life expectancy increases, the elderly population itself is growing, and changes in social relationships are occurring amid early retirement and relatively stable economic circumstances. The loss of a spouse or prolonged unemployment leads to loneliness and emotional deprivation for some elderly people, prompting them to seek psychological comfort, but concerns about social stigma often prevent them from seeking help through official channels. On the other hand, as antiretroviral therapy for AIDS becomes more widespread and effective, some elderly individuals have become less fearful of the disease, adopting the attitude that "there is nothing much to fear at my age," and are even more reluctant to use condoms during sexual intercourse.
The "collapse" of sexual safety among the elderly is further increasing the risk of infection. According to the aforementioned 2023 study in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, over 90% of newly reported HIV-infected individuals aged 50 and over in China between 2015 and 2022 contracted the virus through heterosexual contact, with commercial sex accounting for 44.8% of these cases. The number of elderly male patients was about three times that of females, and most of them had low educational backgrounds and worked in agriculture. In the past, HIV testing mainly targeted homosexual populations, but now a significant number of new infections are due to commercial sex, particularly among the elderly.
The "collapse" of sexual safety among the elderly is also increasing the risk of infection. Photo unrelated to the article. The Asia Business Daily DB
Most Heterosexual Infections Stem from Commercial Sex... Some Visit Establishments Charging Less Than 10,000 Won
Some low-cost sex establishments charge only 20-50 yuan (about 4,200-10,000 won), attracting many middle-aged and elderly widowers, men living alone, and married men who visit in secret. In one region, most reported elderly HIV cases were male, and most elderly female patients were said to have contracted the virus through their male spouses.
Elderly people often hide their HIV infection after contracting the virus. Even if they receive treatment, they are reluctant to clearly disclose the route of infection. One elderly man living alone reduced his medication dosage for a long time out of fear that his family would discover his HIV status, and he was eventually rushed to the emergency room with severe pneumonia. His son only learned the truth in the emergency room, but due to irregular treatment, the elderly man developed resistance, suffered multiple infections, and died of multiple organ failure within a week.
The key to countermeasures is to block the "source" of infection. The main reason for the spread of HIV among the elderly is "people who are unaware of their infection and do not take protective measures during sexual intercourse." Experts say, "The key to future AIDS prevention among the elderly is to strengthen education and publicity for doctors so that the elderly understand prevention methods, and to encourage elderly people who have engaged in high-risk sexual behavior to voluntarily get tested, even after the fact, by making them aware of the risks." In addition, when designing public welfare projects or government programs, more attention should be paid to the elderly, providing easily understandable health education to help them develop self-esteem and a sense of self-protection. However, some experts point out that "health education targeting the elderly still faces considerable challenges."
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