Session: Emerging Research in Knowledge, Prevention and Care of Older Adults at-Risk for or Infected with HIV (Society for Social Work and Research 15th Annual Conference: Emerging Horizons for Social Work Research)

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS among adults age 50 and over continues to rise due to the aging of long term survivors and new infections among older adults. According to CDC data, over 27% of people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States are 50 years of age and over (CDC, 2009), with estimates that by 2015, nearly half of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. will be in this age group (Effros et al, 2008). A range of issues associated with this emerging, vulnerable population require increasing understanding and empirical research. Improved knowledge and attitudes of providers regarding sexual health screening and HIV risk identification; the need for effective, evidence-based prevention approaches; and care strategies that consider the diversity within populations of HIV infected older people are all critically important issues. Effective clinical social work practice with older adults impacted by HIV/AIDS requires social work researchers to be on the cutting edge of this research agenda. In this symposium, we examine various aspects of the research necessary to improve the care of older adults at risk for, and infected with HIV disease. This symposium reports on three studies that examine various facets of prevention and care to this population. The first study reports on the results of a national sample of 486 social workers, physicians and nurses who specialize in gerontology or geriatrics. Multivariate analyses were used to determine predictors of integrating sexual health screening into clinical practice with older clients. Profession (social work, medicine and nursing), HIV knowledge, measured by the HIV KQ-45, and length of clinical experience in HIV/AIDS were all significant predictors for incorporating sexual health screening with older clients. The second study draws upon grounded theory and qualitative methodology to better understand how social workers and care managers engage in culturally sensitive discussions about HIV risk and sexual behavior with older Latinos. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 bilingual social workers and case managers in Florida. Sociodemographic similarity (age, gender, national origin) and developing a trusting relationship emerged as important factors in successful discussions of HIV risk among older Latinos. The third and final paper draws upon data from a recent study with the Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York City. Using a cross-sectional design, this study reports on data related to gender differences and social support preferences among HIV+ adults age 50 and over (N=180). Significant differences were found between older men and women living with HIV. Women tended to favor assistance from family, while older men utilized self-reliance and friends for assistance. Institute directors at NIH have recently stated that aging is an important and expanding focus of HIV/AIDS research at the National Institutes of Health. The presentations in this symposium not only serve to disseminate recent research findings in this arena, but reinforce the importance of this research agenda in providing suggestions to improving clinical social work practice.