AIDS-related risk behaviors and safer sex practices of women in midlife and older in the United States: 1990 to 1992.

Women in midlife and older represent over 25% of all women with AIDS and 4% of all reported AIDS cases in the United States. We present prevalence estimates and demographic correlates of AIDS-related risk behavior and safer sex practices among women in midlife and older from the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys (NABS). Data are of women aged 40 to 75 in the (a) NABS 1 national sample (n = 887), (b) NABS 1 urban sample (n = 2,111), and (c) NABS 2 national sample (n = 624). Data from the baseline survey (NABS 1) revealed that approximately 8% or 4.5 million women aged 40 to 75 engaged in behaviors that might expose them to HIV. Data from the follow-up survey (NABS 2) indicated that the proportion of women who reported a risk factor remained at about 8%. Overall safer sex practices among older women who reported sexual risk behaviors were minimal. Between 90% and 100% had not used condoms in the previous 6 months. Moreover, almost 90% of the women who reported a risk behavior did not perceive themselves to be at risk.