15 Sep AAHIVM and ACRIA Collaborate to Distribute New Patient Resource for Aging with HIV
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In recognition of National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day on September 18, the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) is proud to disseminate a newly published HIV and aging brochure, Staying Health with HIV as You Age. The booklet was first distributed in July at the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa and is now available stateside.
This patient-centered brochure developed by AAHIVM and ACRIA as part of the HIV-Aging Consensus Project is going to be distributed at the 20th Annual United States Conference on AIDS (USCA). For those attending the conference in Florida this week, the printed booklet and other supporting materials can be obtained at the ACRIA Booth 216.
Digital copies can be downloaded at www.HIV-age.org or at HIV-As-You-Age. ACRIA will be hosting a publication release party on Friday, September 30th, from 1-2pm at their Manhattan Offices. To attend, please RSVP at 212-924-3934 x 134.If you would like to order printed copies, please contact ACRIA’s training center for hardcopies (training@acria.org).
The National HIV and Aging Awareness Day was launched in 2008 to focus attention on HIV-related issues confronting aging adults. Older adults are dominating the USA epidemic. In major metro areas more than half of all those living with HIV are age 50 and older. For example, in San Francisco the number of older adults is more than 60% and in NYC the estimate is 55%. As the HIV-AGE initiative reminds us – those who provide clinical care to HIV infected older adults are spending more time addressing and managing comorbidities associated with aging and not HIV. Multimorbidity management is best achieved by embracing geriatrics principles (see http://hiv-age.org/clinical-recommendations/).
HIV-related challenges facing older Americans include lack of knowledge about HIV and stigma that discourages them from seeking HIV testing and care. In older adults, HIV is too often diagnosed late in the course of the infection, leading to shorter HIV-to-AIDS intervals and increased risk for other illnesses and poor health outcomes.
The patient centered publication describes common health problems older adults with HIV may face as they age. Many have multimorbidity (2 or more chronic illnesses) at higher rates than seen in a typical age matched population. This booklet focuses on how to manage them successfully so they can age well. Each chapter includes an overview of the condition, how a patient can manage it in partnership with an HIV care provider doctor, and how a patient can be proactive in the management of multi-morbidity.
The HIV Aging Consensus Project is a joint effort of ACRIA, the American Academy of HIV Medicine and the American Geriatrics Society.
For more information, Contact:
Amber McCracken
amber@aahivm.org
202-659-0699