Although HIV/AIDS is continuing to have an enormous impact on the public health of all persons in general, it appears to be taking an unfair toll on the elderly population. Some people classified in this group are sometimes at a much higher risk for contracting and receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS than others. It is to recognize that stereotyping, lack of prevention strategies, misdiagnoses and lack of research are only a few reasons that place the older population at risk, and there are also differences in the levels of education and income. Most of the information about the elderly is case studies and reports with less than 17% having a research basis.

Many elderly persons have experienced poor quality in health care from the beginning of life throughout their adult life. Environmental factors have had an impact and noted as a disproportionate prevalence of acute and chronic diseases, may culminate into disabilities. Mistrust of the health care delivery system and fatalism is associated with less or improper screening procedures of the elderly. Studies have shown that elderly persons may have the tendency to not report illness and physiological changes; delay in reporting symptoms such as edema of the legs, dizziness, fainting spells, or constipation and urinary changes.