HIV infection rate soars among men in their 50s, 60s
By Xu Chi |
August 24, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
UNSAFE sex outside marriage and less watchfulness about infection has sent the number of men in their 50s and 60s with HIV or AIDS skyrocketing in the past decade in China, where the HIV/AIDS population reached about 780,000 as of last year.
Men aged 50 to 64 accounted for 13.6 percent of the country's total HIV-positive cases reported last year, a sharp increase from 1.6 percent in 2000, according to a report by the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Men above 65 accounted for 7 percent of the total HIV-positive cases reported in 2011, rising from 0.34 percent in 2000, the report said.
Among new HIV-positive cases reported nationwide, those over the age of 60 accounted for 8.9 percent in 2010, a sharp rise from 2.2 percent back to 2005, Wu Zunyou, an official with the center, told the Beijing Times.
Experts told the newspaper that the dramatic rise in older men in China infected with HIV is because many are retired and less busy but still have sexual desires, while their spouses' level of desire may be dampened after age of 60.
Many older HIV carriers or AIDS patients paid for sex without using protection, and some don't worry about the damage of AIDS because they believe the virus takes 10 years to incubate, experts told the newspaper.
The country had 48,000 new HIV-positive cases last year and a total of 28,000 people died of diseases related to AIDS, the report said.
The number of people who died of AIDS-related diseases is on the rise. In 2010 the death toll was 26,000, up from 20,000 in 2009. Wu said deaths are rising because many patients are diagnosed with AIDS too late.
Among the total 780,000 HIV carriers and AIDS patients by the end of last year, women accounted for 28.6 percent. The number of AIDS patients was 154,000, report shows.
Sexual transmission is now the major cause of HIV infection as 76.3 percent of the total HIV-positive population is infected due to sexual activities, a sharp rise from 33.1 percent in 2006, Wu told the newspaper.
By the end of September, about 75.8 percent of HIV-positive cases were reported from Yunnan, Henan, Sichuan and Guangdong provinces, the Guangxi Zhuang and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions, according to the report.
College students
The report also shows a sharp increase in people aged 20 to 24, mainly college students, who were infected by HIV as they accounted for 49 percent of the total of HIV-positive cases last year, compared with 20.3 percent in 2006.
Students account for 1.64 percent among HIV-positive cases in 2011, rising from 0.96 percent in 2006, report shows.
The country is still facing great challenges in AIDS prevention.
About 25 percent of drug abusers share syringes, 32 percent of prostitutes don't use condoms every time they are with a client, and 87 percent of gays in sexual relationships had sexual activities with two or more partners within six months, the report said.
China will strengthen AIDS-prevention measures to reduce new infections by 25 percent and reduce the death rate from AIDS by 30 percent by the end of 2015, Wu told the newspaper.
Men aged 50 to 64 accounted for 13.6 percent of the country's total HIV-positive cases reported last year, a sharp increase from 1.6 percent in 2000, according to a report by the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Men above 65 accounted for 7 percent of the total HIV-positive cases reported in 2011, rising from 0.34 percent in 2000, the report said.
Among new HIV-positive cases reported nationwide, those over the age of 60 accounted for 8.9 percent in 2010, a sharp rise from 2.2 percent back to 2005, Wu Zunyou, an official with the center, told the Beijing Times.
Experts told the newspaper that the dramatic rise in older men in China infected with HIV is because many are retired and less busy but still have sexual desires, while their spouses' level of desire may be dampened after age of 60.
Many older HIV carriers or AIDS patients paid for sex without using protection, and some don't worry about the damage of AIDS because they believe the virus takes 10 years to incubate, experts told the newspaper.
The country had 48,000 new HIV-positive cases last year and a total of 28,000 people died of diseases related to AIDS, the report said.
The number of people who died of AIDS-related diseases is on the rise. In 2010 the death toll was 26,000, up from 20,000 in 2009. Wu said deaths are rising because many patients are diagnosed with AIDS too late.
Among the total 780,000 HIV carriers and AIDS patients by the end of last year, women accounted for 28.6 percent. The number of AIDS patients was 154,000, report shows.
Sexual transmission is now the major cause of HIV infection as 76.3 percent of the total HIV-positive population is infected due to sexual activities, a sharp rise from 33.1 percent in 2006, Wu told the newspaper.
By the end of September, about 75.8 percent of HIV-positive cases were reported from Yunnan, Henan, Sichuan and Guangdong provinces, the Guangxi Zhuang and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions, according to the report.
College students
The report also shows a sharp increase in people aged 20 to 24, mainly college students, who were infected by HIV as they accounted for 49 percent of the total of HIV-positive cases last year, compared with 20.3 percent in 2006.
Students account for 1.64 percent among HIV-positive cases in 2011, rising from 0.96 percent in 2006, report shows.
The country is still facing great challenges in AIDS prevention.
About 25 percent of drug abusers share syringes, 32 percent of prostitutes don't use condoms every time they are with a client, and 87 percent of gays in sexual relationships had sexual activities with two or more partners within six months, the report said.
China will strengthen AIDS-prevention measures to reduce new infections by 25 percent and reduce the death rate from AIDS by 30 percent by the end of 2015, Wu told the newspaper.
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