Trends In Community and State Rates of HIV/AIDS Among Adults 65+ In New England

TL;DR

This paper examines rising HIV/AIDS rates among adults over 65 in New England, highlighting geographic disparities and the need for targeted public health strategies.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into regional trends of HIV/AIDS prevalence among older adults in New England using small area estimation and mapping.

Findings

HIV prevalence among adults 65+ increased steadily from 2014-2015 to 2020-2021 across all six New England states.

Massachusetts and Connecticut experienced the fastest growth in HIV prevalence among older adults.

Geographic disparities in HIV/AIDS rates suggest the influence of healthcare access, socioeconomic factors, and policies.

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is a significant public health concern in the U.S., particularly among aging populations. While New England has lower overall HIV/AIDS incidence, disparities persist among racial and ethnic minority group members, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those affected by the opioid epidemic. This study calculates community and state HIV/AIDS prevalence trends among adults aged 65+ across Massachusetts (MA), Connecticut (CT), Rhode Island (RI), New Hampshire (NH), Vermont (VT), and Maine (ME). Data sources included: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (2012-2021), the American Community Survey (2018-2022), and the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2010-2022) (see healthyagingdatareports.org). Small area estimation techniques were used to calculate age and sex adjusted rates. ArcGIS was used to map community rates across the region. Results found a steady increase in HIV prevalence across all six states from 2014-2015 to 2020-2021. In 2014-2015, MA (0.17%) and CT (0.18%) had the highest prevalence, while NH (0.05%) and VT (0.08%) were lower. By 2020-2021, the increase in older adults living with HIV/AIDS was most significant in MA (+0.13%) and CT (+0.1%), while ME (+0.08%), NH (+0.05%), and VT (+0.05%) experienced slower growth. These findings highlight geographic disparities in HIV/AIDS prevalence among older adults, with MA and CT showing the fastest increases. State-level factors such as healthcare access, socioeconomic conditions, and policies may contribute. New England’s healthcare infrastructure offers a model for policy-driven prevention. Further research is needed to inform targeted public health strategies and improve outcomes for aging populations infected with HIV/AIDS.