Up to 40% of Adults with HIV in the U.S. Are Over 50

Terry Angel Mason, National HIV/AIDS Spokesperson is Committed to Stopping the Spread of the Virus

*Up to 40% of adults with HIV in the U.S. are over 50.

*The CDC estimates that by 2015, half of all people living with HIV in the U.S. will be age 50 and older.

*While AIDS diagnoses are decreasing overall, they are increasing among older adults.

*Many older adults do not believe they are at risk for HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

*Older adults are often not seen as being at risk for HIV by their health care providers.

*Studies have found that healthcare providers are reluctant to discuss sexual health issues with older patients.

*Providers often underestimate the sexual activity of older adults, neglecting their risk for HIV and other STIs.

*Many older women don’t insist on using condoms because they can’t get pregnant.

*The physical changes of aging – such as the thinning of the vaginal wall – can make women more vulnerable to HIV and other STIs.

*Older adults are much less likely to be tested for HIV than younger adults.

*Many older adults are diagnosed with HIV only when receiving treatment for other medical conditions.

*The likelihood of receiving an HIV and AIDS diagnosis at the same time increases with age.

*A CDC study found that older adults who cannot read and understand basic health information have increased mortality rates.

*Poor health literacy is a barrier to medical care and can lead to more illness as well as increased mortality.

BLACK WOMEN'S NETWORK HEALTH SEMINAR

One in every six new cases of HIV infection occurs in people over 50

Terry Angel Mason Named Guest Speaker for Black Women's Network Organization’s HIV/AIDS Event

Mason will be discussing why there is an increase in HIV cases among Black women and senior adults and what can be done about the rising epidemic

Since HIV/AIDS came on the scene 30 years ago, the deadly disease has had a devastating impact on African Americans. Once thought of as a gay, white male disease, the new face of AIDS is black. Black women have become the leading group of HIV/AIDS cases; surpassing Caucasian women, Asian women and Latina women. According to www.WomensHealth.gov, women account for about 1 in 4 new HIV/AIDS cases in the United States. Of these newly infected women, about 2 in 3 are African-American. Most of these women got HIV from having unprotected sex with a man.

According to Amfar.org:

• African Americans and Hispanics represent 26 percent of all women in the U.S. but they account for 82% of AIDS cases among women.
• African-American women have an HIV prevalence rate nearly 15 times that of white women.

The Black Women’s Network Organization, located in Inglewood, CA, is determined to educate women about HIV/AIDS prevention. They invited international speaker, HIV/AIDS activist, and author Angel Mason, to speak at their event, which takes place on June 9, 2012, from 10:00 am 12:00 pm at the Rogers Park Auditorium, located at 400 West Beach Ave, Inglewood, CA 90302. At the event, Mason will be addressing what black women can do now to protect themselves against the virus. He will also discuss his own experience and triumph over the disease and how to live an empowered, healthy life with the virus.

According to Mason, “HIV/AIDS is having a devastating impact on Black women in Los Angeles and around the world. Many women don’t know the status of their partners, and simply aren’t protecting themselves consistently. Education and getting tested is vital to stopping the spread of this disease. My goal is to inspire, motivate, and encourage black women to get tested and to know the status of all of their partners.”

"African American seniors are also being infected with HIV at alarming rates", states Mason. It is so important that African American women and seniors become more educated and proactive to stop this disease from spreading and taking countless lives," adds Mason. According to www.About.com, HIV surveillance shows that 11 percent of all new AIDS cases are in people over the age of 50. Statistics also show that new AIDS cases rose faster in the over 50 population than in people under 40. "The increase of HIV in seniors is due to the rise in the amount of seniors having sex. Viagra and other erectile dysfunction medications allow more seniors to have sex, and they are having unprotected sex, partly because they are not being educated about HIV prevention and other sexually transmitted diseases, adds Mason.

A survivor of full blown AIDS, Mason has been a guest speaker at many events, including San Diego Neighborhood House & San Diego Urban League’s National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day, Harold Washington College’s “A Matter of Global Survival.”

A renowned author, Mason recently penned and published an inspiring and empowering article called Miracle on Grape Street, which recounts how he overcame full-blown AIDS and cancer, and rose to fame as a beloved activist, speaker, and author. View the article here:

http://terryangelmason.com/files/documents/JUNE_9_2012/SENIOR_BANNER_-_J...

Selected by Real Health Magazine as the advocate of the month and selected as the Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day national spokesperson for 2012, Mason is the Pulitzer nominated author of Love Won’t Let Me Be Silent. His sophomore literary release, They Say That I Am Broken, is regarded as one of the most highly anticipated books of 2012, and is expected to be nominated for similar literary awards.

They Say That I Am Broken, is a powerful book aimed at spreading truth about the dangers and consequences of homophobia, hate, and inequality. Mason's books have touched millions of lives and have been submitted for a Pulitzer Prize and numerous awards, including the Lambda Literary Award and the Stonewall Book Awards. They Say That I Am Broken will be available for purchase at the event, or can be pre-ordered by visiting www.TerryAngelMason.com. Electronic review copies of They Say That I Am Broken are now available for the media upon request by contacting Florence Edwards at Florence@Publicity911.com. Copies of Love Won’t Let Me Be Silent will also be available for purchase at the event.

For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Florence Edwards, Ph. 310-746-7149
Email: Florence.Edwards1976@gmail.com
Angel Mason, Global Author. Ph.: 323.819-5385
AngelMasonGlobalAuthor@gmail