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HIV Risk Behaviors of Male and Female Jail Inmates Prior to Incarceration and One Year Post-Release

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Abstract

Individuals cycling in and out of the criminal justice system are at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS. Most infections are contracted in the community, not during incarceration, but little is known about the profile of risk behaviors responsible for this elevated infection rate. This study investigated pre-incarceration and post-release HIV risk behaviors in a longitudinal study of 542 male and female inmates in a Northern Virginia jail. Although there was a significant decrease in risky behavior from pre-incarceration to post-incarceration, participants reported high levels of unprotected sexual activity and risky IV drug behaviors at both time points, emphasizing the need for prevention programming among this at-risk population. Gender differences in participants’ pre-incarceration and post-release HIV risk behaviors suggest the need for gender-specific interventions to reduce overall HIV risk. Identifying specific HIV risk behaviors of jail inmates is vital to improve treatment and intervention efforts inside and outside of correctional settings.

Resumen

Los personas que pasan por el sistema de justicia penal están en alto riesgo de contraer el VIH/SIDA. La mayoría de las infecciones se contraen en la comunidad, no durante el encarcelamiento, pero se sabe poco sobre el perfil de riesgo responsable de esta elevada tasa de infección. Esta investigación examinó el compartamiento de riesgo de VIH antes y después del-encarcelamiento en un estudio longitudinal de 542 internos e internas en una cárcel ubicada en el norte de Virginia. Aunque hubo una disminución significativa en las conductas de riesgo desde antes de la cárcel hasta después de la encarcelación, los participantes reportaron altos niveles de actividad sexual sin protección y de riesgo del consumo de drogas IV en ambos momentos, mostrando la necesidad de programas de prevención en esta población en riesgo. Diferencias de género en las conductas de riesgo de los participantes antes de la encarcelación y posterior a la liberación sugieren la necesidad de intervenciones específicas de género para reducir el riesgo de VIH en general. La identificación de determinados comportamientos de riesgo de VIH de los reclusos de la cárcel es de vital importancia para mejorar los esfuerzos de de tratamiento y la intervención dentro y fuera de los establecimientos penitenciarios.

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Notes

  1. Participants who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 did not differ significantly in their HIV risk behavior from eligible participants who only completed Wave 1.

  2. We did not have access to the number of partners with whom each type of sexual act occurred. Thus, the general Bernoulli equation was modified to reflect the frequency of each act, without reference to multiple partners.

  3. Although not a primary aim of the current study, we also explored race differences in jail inmates’ pre and post incarceration risk behaviors. Sample size precludes comparisons between all races in the sample, thus race differences are calculated between Caucasian (N = 215) and African-American (N = 259) participants; full information for statistically significant findings is reported.

  4. One participant reported 300 partners. The same gender difference emerged when that person was dropped from analysis, reducing the range of sexual partners from 0 to 100, Z = −2.87, P = 0.004.

  5. One participant reported 200 partners. The same gender difference emerged when that person was dropped from analysis, reducing the range of sexual partners from 0 to 65, Z = −2.77, P = 0.006.

  6. Two participants reported 100 and 180 partners. The same gender differences emerged when those participants were dropped from analysis, reducing the range of sexual partners from 0 to 55, Z = −4.221, P < 0.001.

  7. Specific information regarding type of substance injected is unknown, though opiate and cocaine/crack/freebase were the most highly used substances among this sample.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant #R01 DA14694 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to June P. Tangney, and by Grant #1F31 DA029393-01 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to Leah M. Adams. We are grateful for the assistance of inmates who participated in our study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, George Mason University, MS 3f5, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA

    Leah M. Adams, Stephanie Kendall, Alison Smith, Erin Quigley, Jeffrey B. Stuewig & June P. Tangney

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  1. Leah M. Adams
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  2. Stephanie Kendall
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  3. Alison Smith
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  4. Erin Quigley
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  5. Jeffrey B. Stuewig
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  6. June P. Tangney
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Correspondence to Leah M. Adams.

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Adams, L.M., Kendall, S., Smith, A. et al. HIV Risk Behaviors of Male and Female Jail Inmates Prior to Incarceration and One Year Post-Release. AIDS Behav 17, 2685–2694 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-9990-2

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