By Nicole Breskin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
CHELSEA — In five years more than half of those living with HIV in New York City will be over the age of 50, according to a new report released by the Gay Men's Health Crisis.
The study, called "Growing Older with the Epidemic: Aging and HIV," was released on Tuesday at a press conference held at the GMHC Headquarters in Chlelsea. Among other alarming data, the report shows there are 35,813 New Yorkers over the age of 50 diagnosed with HIV.
The numbers are based on 2007 data from the city's Health and Mental Hygiene Department — the most recent statistics available.
“Living longer with HIV is a welcome development but one our nation is not prepared for,” said Sean Cahill, PhD, co-author of the GMHC study. “Through research and education and public policy changes we can take on these issues before they reach emergency proportions.
"We are working on social education and prevention programs locally to make this happen," Cahill added.
Following the release of the study, local community activists called for grassroots education reform in Manhattan's community hubs — from beauty parlors to churches — to target older New Yorkers with HIV.
Lillibeth Gonzalez, a GMHC peer health educator living with HIV, currently distributes condoms at advocacy sessions at Tati’s Salon on the Lower East Side, where she says patrons are primarily black and Hispanic.
According to the study, three-quarters of New Yorkers living with HIV over the age of 50 were black or Hispanic.
J. Edward Shaw, chair of the New York Association on HIV over 50, was diagnosed with HIV in 1988.
“I never lived in Africa, I've never been to Haiti and I don’t identify as being gay. So I thought I was immune,” Shaw said. “There’s a lack of information in the community and we need to do more with churches and senior centers and we need to do it as often as possible.”
Shaw is currently reaching out to Councilmember Inez Dinkens and church groups in Harlem.
Councilmember Jessica Lappin said she plans to use her role as Chair of the City Council Committee on Aging to ensure that the issue gets the attention and advocacy it deserves.
"I look forward to working with advocates like the Gay Men’s Health Crisis," Lappin told DNAinfo, "to find things that we can do on the city level to protect seniors and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS."
The center also plans to work with AARP NY to push for legislative reform to include same sex partners in the Family Medical Leave Act and expand social service programs through the Older Americans Act.
