AIDS, once seen as the "invisible killer" of young people, has quietly changed its prey. It is no longer those young and frivolous youths, but those gray-haired old men.
This shocking phenomenon has aroused the attention and confusion of countless people. In recent years, an increasing number of elderly people have been diagnosed with HIV. Some of them are elderly people who have been retired for many years, some are empty nesters who live alone, and some are middle-aged people who have just entered their twilight years.
Many of them, industrious and simple all their lives, never thought that they would be associated with such a disease. They even naively believe that AIDS is just a matter for foreigners, and has nothing to do with their own small town far away from the hustle and bustle.
But reality dealt them a cruel blow. Their identities are different, but what they all have in common is that they have all fallen victim to this silent disaster. Public opinion began to boil, and people speculated about the reasons behind this, but what was the truth? How did the old man contract this terrible disease?
01 There is an abnormality in people living with HIV.
In recent years, the proportion of newly diagnosed HIV infections among people aged 50 years and above has indeed shown a clear upward trend. Uncle Zhang is a respected retired teacher, his wife passed away at an early age, and he has been living a quiet life for many years.
It's just that as he grew older, Uncle Zhang felt more and more lonely, so he began to participate in some social activities frequently, hoping to meet new people. During an elderly event, Uncle Zhang met a warm and cheerful Aunt Wang, and the two quickly became good friends.
However, what Uncle Zhang didn't know was that Aunt Wang was actually an HIV carrier. Due to their close relationship, the two often eat together, chat, and sometimes even have intimate contact. Uncle Zhang never thought of taking any protective measures, nor did he doubt Aunt Wang's health.
Until one day, Uncle Zhang suddenly felt unwell, continued fever, weight loss, and symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes. He went to the hospital for a check-up, only to find out that he was infected with HIV.
The grief and worry in Uncle Zhang's heart were indescribable, and the reaction of Uncle Zhang's family was shocked and incredulous. They can't imagine that their beloved elders would suffer such misfortunes, because for many people, AIDS is very far away, and they don't understand why the learned elderly suddenly fall ill in middle age.
Fears and misconceptions about AIDS made it difficult for families to accept this fact. But they were worried about Uncle Zhang's physical condition and were afraid that the disease would bring him endless pain. At the same time, they are also worried that the news will have a negative impact on the whole family, and that others will see them in a different light.
And this is not an accident. According to the data of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Lancet AIDS, the AIDS epidemic in our country is quietly undergoing a "change". The number of people living with HIV globally aged 50 years or older increased from 5.4 million in 2015 to 8.1 million in 2020.
Even more striking is the staggering increase in male infections: from 7.41% in 2010 to 18.21% in 2020, a staggering change. In fact, there is a relatively long incubation period after HIV infection.
During this time, the virus quietly replicates in the body, gradually weakening the immune system, but infected people may not immediately experience noticeable symptoms. This process can last for years, during which time the infected person may feel normal and go about their lives as usual. But even in the incubation period, infected people are still carriers of HIV and are at risk of spreading the virus.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for AIDS under the current medical conditions. Despite scientists' ongoing efforts to develop effective treatments and drugs for AIDS, there is currently no one accepted method or drug that can completely cure AIDS.
Once infected, the virus will be carried for life, and infected people need to be treated and monitored for a long time to control the condition and reduce the occurrence of complications. What is even more surprising is that most of these infected people are infected through sexual contact in the face of such a serious malignant disease.
In our traditional beliefs, AIDS seems to be associated with words such as young people, sexual promiscuity, and drug use. However, this cold set of data has ruthlessly shattered our understanding. Why is AIDS spreading so rapidly among older people, and how do they get the virus?
02 What is the secret behind HIV infection?
With the changes in society, the lifestyle and sexual concepts of the elderly are also gradually changing. Sexual desire, a seemingly simple but mysterious word, is influenced by multiple factors such as age, environment, and culture, and presents a kaleidoscopic form. Many of them feel lonely and lonely, perhaps because they are widowed or divorced, or because their children are not around.
The elderly are also a group with normal psychological and physical needs, their inner world is equally colorful, and their emotional needs are equally eager to be satisfied, so many people begin to seek new partners and emotional sustenance.
In the process, however, there are big hidden dangers: do they know enough about how HIV is transmitted and how to prevent it, do their sexual partners take it as seriously, and many have little knowledge about sex and HIV risks.
Because of the lack of in-depth knowledge of AIDS, let alone how to prevent it, they have the idea that when they are old, they are no longer able to have children, so the use of condoms becomes irrelevant. This misconception makes them inadvertently fall into a huge risk.
In particular, as the years go by, the elderly labor force is lost, and their income is quietly decreasing, and every penny is particularly precious. In this context, when they consume, they are often more inclined to choose those lower-grade places and channels to save every sale.
In particular, some people may have sex with strangers in the dark, or they may be ignorant of receiving the bodily fluids of infected people. All of this stems from their lack of knowledge about HIV prevention and how to protect themselves.
Older people, on the other hand, tend to avoid talking about sex, as if sexual needs are a taboo, an area that cannot be touched. This issue cannot be fixed properly. However, it is this cover-up attitude that may make older people more likely to fall into the vortex of high-risk sexual behaviors.
In addition, older people begin to lose their immunity as they age, and once they are infected with HIV, the disease tends to be more severe and more difficult to treat. However, many people naively believe that after being infected with AIDS, the disease will quietly attack after more than ten years, so they do not pay attention to AIDS prevention.
Some older people, after experiencing complications in their bodies, often mistake it for a natural phenomenon brought about by aging, and thus ignore the serious problems that may be hidden behind these symptoms. They may think that this is the relentless ravages of time, rather than the invasion of AIDS, and miss the best time for treatment, which will further worsen the disease.
03How can we help them get out of the misunderstanding and face the threat of HIV/AIDS correctly?
First, they need to raise awareness of HIV, how the virus is transmitted and how to prevent it. Only with the right knowledge can you make wise choices in life and avoid falling into danger.
For those who have been involved in extramarital sex, even if they do not have any abnormal symptoms, they should not be taken lightly, because the incubation period of AIDS can be as long as several years, and during this time, the virus may have quietly replicated in the body, eroding the immune system, and go to the hospital for professional examination in time, early identification, early treatment.
Second, older people should focus on self-protection and avoid high-risk behaviors. Whether it's sex or other activities that may expose you to the virus, you should take the necessary safety measures, such as using condoms and avoiding sex with strangers.
It is recommended that everyone should be responsible for their own sexual behavior, reduce the object and number of sexual acts, have a fixed sexual partner, and put an end to dangerous behaviors such as drug abuse and prostitution, especially avoid sharing needles with others, and when procedures related to tooth extraction and tattoos may involve the risk of blood transmission, we must choose a formal and hygienic medical institution to ensure their own safety.
Even if you accidentally engage in high-risk behaviors, it doesn't mean that you will be infected with HIV. Post-exposure prophylaxis is essential if a dangerous situation occurs: PEP is an urgent intervention to reduce the risk of HIV infection by taking specific antiviral drugs within a specific time window.
If PEP is performed in a timely and correct manner, it has been shown to reduce the risk of infection by up to 81%, illustrating the important role of PEP in preventing HIV infection.
Therefore, in the face of middle-aged and elderly groups, family members should maintain communication with the elderly, care for them in a timely manner, understand their needs and confusions, and provide them with necessary help and guidance to avoid the elderly from thinking about and causing danger.
At the same time, society should also strengthen publicity and education on HIV/AIDS, raise public awareness and attention to HIV/AIDS, and jointly build a healthy and safe social environment.
Epilogue:
In short, AIDS is a serious disease, and people infected need to face the challenge of the virus for life, so preventing AIDS requires us to start with ourselves and avoid high-risk behaviors.
Although there is no cure, through early detection and treatment, and the concerted efforts of the whole society, we can better control the spread of HIV and provide a better quality of life and hope for those infected.