title: Demographic characteristics and behavioral risk factors of HIV infection and association with survival among individuals 50 years or older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of socio-behavioral characteristics and viro-immunological status with survival in a cohort of HIV-infected individuals by age in South Carolina (SC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Logistic regression was used to compare the characteristics of individuals' ≥50 years old to individuals 20-49 years old at HIV diagnosis who were reported to SC enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System (eHARS) from January 1998 to December 2009. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to examine the time to death after HIV diagnosis over the study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 7531 participants, 1204 (16%) were ≥50 years old. Multivariable analyses suggested that individuals ≥50 years old were more likely to have simultaneous AIDS (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.54-2.10). For individuals ≥50 years old, the risk of death was more than three times when compared to the younger age group (HR: 3.46, 95% CI 2.27, 5.30).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine HIV screening may decrease late-stage diagnosis and improved linkage to care may decrease mortality in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. eren.youmans@gmail.com
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Youmans
authors.forename: Avnish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Duffus
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis