Timing of Diagnosis: Understanding Resilience Narratives of HIV Positive Older Adults Diagnosed Pre- and Post-HAART.

Background: Despite the growing population of older adults living with human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), few studies have examined this population in terms of timing of HIV diagnosis. This study explores resilience and protective factors among HIV-positive older adults, 17 of whom were diagnosed prior to the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and 13 of whom were diagnosed after the development of HAART.

Methods: We explored the concepts of resilience and protective factors in 30 older adults living with HIV in Ontario, Canada.