Only News Photos Video/Audio HIV TESTS COST-EFFECTIVE FOR SOME SENIORS BY RANDY DOTINGA _HealthDay Reporter_ _Wed Jun 18, 11:47 PM ET_ WEDNESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) While older adults may seem the least likely group of Americans to be infected with HIV, a new study suggests it would be cost-effective for doctors to routinely give AIDS tests to some sexually active people in their 60s and 70s.Fact, an HIV diagnosis and subsequent treatment could potentially add an average of six to nine months to an older persons life, said study co-author Dr.K. "Just because you have someone whos older doesnt mean you shouldnt think about HIV and HIV screening," said Owens, a senior investigator at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California and professor of medicine at Stanford University.Older Americans have been largely overlooked throughout the years of the AIDS epidemic, although they are hardly immune.Government only rmends routine HIV testing up until the age of 64.Still, an estimated 20 percent of HIV patients are older than 50, Owens said.Research with older veterans has suggested that as many as one in 200 is infected with the virus that causes AIDS, he said.AIDS threat facing older Americans is often ignored, because "people find it difficult to imagine their parents and grandparents being sexually active," said Rowena Johnston, vice president of research with the Foundation for AIDS Research.For the new study, published in the June 17 issue of the _Annals of Internal Medicine_, Owens and his colleagues created a mathematical formula to determine the costs and benefits of routinely testing people aged 55 to 75.The researchers found that its cost-effective to test people in that age group if the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infection is greater than 1 in 1,000 and those being tested have sexual partners at risk of infection.They reported it may cost $30,000 in tests to lengthen a sexually active 65-year-old persons life by something known as a "quality-adjusted life year," aplicated measurement that takes into account the difficulty of life during illness.Average, diagnosing a 65-year-old with HIV instead of allowing him to remain untreated could lengthen his life by six to nine months, Owens said."Thats actually a lot.A pretty big change," he said.Of the interventions we do change life expectancy by a week, a few weeks, maybe a month.AIDS tests typically cost from $10 to $70, Owens said.Johnston said doctors with older patients "should to be aware they may be carrying their own biases.Worth taking into account the persons sexual history and whether they have risk factors.Still, some observers may question the studys assumption that more than one in 1,000 older adults have HIV and are undiagnosed, said Frank Myers, director of clinical epidemiology and safety systems at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego."This study, with its assumptions of HIV prevalence, will not be enough to change HIV screening rmendations by itself," Myers said.Added, he hopes the research will motivate health-care providers to ask patients about HIV risk factors and target them with messages about prevention.MORE INFORMATION For more about older adults and AIDS, visit the .Yahoo!RMEND THIS STORY Rmend It: Not at All Somewhat Moderately Highly Very Highly Average (Not Rated) _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _AP_ _Reuters_ _Reuters_ _AP_ _ ABC News - Wed Jun 18, 9:02 PM ET_ _ KDKA Pittsburgh - Wed Jun 18, 5:13 PM ET_ _ ABC News - Wed Jun 18, 11:01 AM ET_ _ FOX News - Wed Jun 18, 3:03 PM ET_ Health Video News Search Search Related Searches: Yahoo!Topic Pages In-depth coverage on topics such as and .Elsewhere On The Web ABC NEWS: ABC NEWS: TIME: YAHOO!How to give and get perfectly good stuff for free, reducing waste.From Y!Find answers on Yahoo!Add Headlines To Your Personalized My Yahoo!Health - HealthDay AIDS/HIV Seniors/Aging News NEWS ALERTS __ Get an alert when there are new stories about: Annals of Internal Medicine HIV risk factors AIDS epidemic change life expectancy Scripps Mercy Hospital - - SEARCH: All News Yahoo!Only News Photos Video/Audio PRIMARY NAVIGATION Copyright 2008 HealthDay.Rights reserved.Contained above is intended for general reference purposes only.Is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam.Seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment.Read more Alkermes announces restructuring
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