New diagnoses among older adults more than doubled between 2002 and 2011, rising from 442 in 2002 to 872 in 2011. Adults aged 50 years and over accounted for 14% of all diagnoses in 2011.

The number of people living with a diagnosed HIV infection who are aged 50 and over has seen just under a five-fold increase between 2002 and 2011 from 3,644 to 16,549.  This represents just under one in five of all adults seen for HIV care in 2011. This rise is due to increased survival as a result of effective treatment in addition to continued transmission within this age group.

The chart shows how the number of HIV positive adults aged 50 and over in the UK has changed over time, sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s New HIV Diagnoses National Tables: Table 6.

Nearly two-thirds (61%) of older adults were diagnosed late (defined as having a CD4 cell count less than 350 per mm3 within three months of diagnosis). Adults diagnosed when aged 50 years and over were more likely to present late compared with adults aged 15-49 years (45%).This information is based on reports made by the Health Protection Agency, sourced from their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2012 report.

For detailed research into ageing and HIV, visit the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) website.