Characteristics of women 50 years of age or older with heterosexually acquired AIDS.

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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study compared characteristics of older (> or = 50 years) and younger (< 50 years) women with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) attributed to heterosexual contact. METHODS: We interviewed women with heterosexually acquired AIDS reported to 12 state and local health departments. Of 556 women interviewed, 59 (11%) were 50 or older. RESULTS: Older women were more likely than younger women to live alone (24% vs 11%), to have not completed high school (63% vs 37%), to be tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while hospitalized (51% vs 32%), and to have never used a condom before HIV diagnosis (86% vs 67%). CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers need to recognize HIV risk behavior in older women, encourage testing, and promote condom use.