Active and former injection drug users report of HIV risk behaviors during periods of incarceration

Abstract

American prisons have increasing numbers of inmates incarcerated for drug offenses. This population is at high risk for HIV‐infection and may continue HIV transmission risk behaviors while incarcerated. We find that 31 % of injection drug users with a history of imprisonment had used illicit drugs in prison, and nearly half of these persons had injected drugs while incarcerated. Male gender and number of times incarcerated were associated with drug use in prison. Interventions for drug‐using prisoners that are advocated in some European prisons, such as needle exchange programs and methadone maintenance, need attention in the United States.

Key words:

• prisons
• HIV risk behaviors
• injection drug use
• incarceration

Notes

Departments of Medicine and Community Health, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, Rhode Island.

To whom correspondence should be addressed at Division of General Internal Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903; e‐mail: [email protected].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael D. Stein

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