The I N
F O C U S
FREE
F O R
P E O P L E
OV E R
More than 200,000 readers throughout Greater Washington
VOL.23, NO.2
Sex, drugs and HIV after 50
High infection rates here The Washington area has the fourthhighest rate of AIDS cases among U.S. metropolitan areas, while Washington, D.C. itself has the highest rate among U.S. states and territories. Perhaps most surprisingly, in D.C., Maryland and Virginia the highest proportion of HIV and AIDS cases is found among residents in their 40s and 50s. For example, while 3.6 percent of those ages 30 to 39 in the District of Columbia are living with HIV or AIDS, that rate soars to 7.6
PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN FOR THE BEACON
By Barbara Ruben Ron Swanda turns 65 in April, a milestone birthday he never thought he’d celebrate. Diagnosed with HIV 25 years ago, the gay District of Columbia resident expected to die of AIDS long ago. But the advent of antiretroviral medications has kept the disease at bay. Ann Jones, 53, found out she was HIV positive just last February. Jones (not her real name), a resident of Landover, Md., discovered a former boyfriend had been infected with the virus only after he died. For a long time, she was so shocked and ashamed about being HIV positive that she told no one about her diagnosis. Jones and Swanda represent two sides of the growing population of older adults with HIV and AIDS. Some have grown old with the disease they acquired while they were young adults, while others are becoming infected at an age when many healthcare practitioners don’t even recommend using condoms, much less suggest HIV testing. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, which can lead to AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV damages a person’s body by destroying white blood cells called CD4+ T-cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases. HIV is most commonly spread by having unprotected sex with others who have the virus, or sharing needles for drug use with infected persons. The days when hospital patients contracted the virus through blood transfusions are mostly over, as today’s blood supply is carefully screened.
5 0 FEBRUARY 2011
I N S I D E …
ARTS & STYLE
‘Life,’ according to the Stones’ Keith Richards; plus, boxing drama shows one’s biggest fight is internal, and Bob Levey on the joy of reuniting with old friends page 40
LEISURE & TRAVEL
Carolyn Massey, who was diagnosed with HIV 17 years ago, now works on a number of fronts to educate people about the disease. By 2017, more than half the cases of HIV and AIDS in the United States will be in people age 50 or older.
percent of those 40 to 49 and 5.9 percent of those 50 to 59. While the rates of the disease are far lower in Maryland, the proportion of older adults diagnosed with the disease is even higher and has been steadily climbing: In 1998, those ages 50 to 59 made up 8.9 percent of the total number of Marylanders diagnosed that year. In 2008, it was 15.7 percent. Similarly, the percent rose from 2.6 to 6.7 percent for those over age 60 in the same time period. According to experts at Yale Medical School, half of all those living with HIV in the United States will be 50 or older by 2017.
Early detection = normal life The good news amidst all the statistics is that if HIV is diagnosed early enough, “there is absolutely a normal life expectancy,” said Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, a Howard University associate professor of medicine who specializes in HIV. “But if you’re not finding them early in the disease, they may never recover so their immune system can function. We see a lot more of that with older patients just because they’re diagnosed later. Older people may already have some challenges with their immunity, and this would just See HIV AFTER 50, page 18
A feast for the senses in San Francisco’s Chinatown; plus, Palm Springs — a modernist oasis in the desert, and how to avoid nasty winter travel surprises page 47 FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Why bad habits are hard to break k Better blood pressure from food VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS k Time-traveling docents
24
LAW & MONEY 27 k In the market for convertibles k Test your wits against scammers SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors
38
PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE