Bioethical issues involved in care of elderly with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Objective: to analyze the scientific production on bioethical issues involved in care of elderly with HIV/AIDS. Method: a systematic review of articles in Scopus and SciELO databases. Results: the selected studies displayed an increase in the number of older people with HIV/AIDS; the fact that old people have a lack of knowledge about the ways of HIV transmission; that health professionals have difficulty to address sexuality in old age. It was evident that, despite the conceptions built for the disease, prejudice about sexuality have hampered preventive measures for infection leading to construction of strategies of resistance by the elderly as silence regarding serology, hope for an AIDS cure and a search for the respect of their autonomy. Conclusion: there is a need for greater investment in health education to enhance the knowledge of old people about HIV/AIDS, the respect for their autonomy and to minimize the risk of prejudice towards their sexuality.