Although AIDS cases and deaths have decreased across America, HIV incidence continues to increase, particularly in African Americans. In Louisiana, African Americans make up only 32% of the total population, but 63% of all HIV/AIDS cases are in African Americans, as compared to 37% of all HIV/AIDS cases nationally. Additionally, Louisiana currently leads the nation in incarceration rates, which have tripled across the nation during the past 15 years.The majority of inmates in Louisiana are black men, who are poor, low-literate, and incarcerated for a drug crime. A cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out at three of the 10 state prisons for men in Louisiana (N=2287). This study had two goals: to estimate the prevalence of high risk behaviors in inmates and to identify the predictors of HIV-related risk behaviors during incarceration. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to predict two outcomes of interest: engaging in anal sex while incarcerated and injecting drugs while incarcerated. Testing of four types of predictor variables (demographic, prison, knowledge and behavior) found only behavior variables, high knowledge of HIV and HIV status significantly related to the outcomes of interest. This study found that those most likely to be engaging in high risk behaviors in prison, are those inmates who engaged in those behaviors prior to incarceration. Additionally, this study found a small core of male inmates who are at extremely high risk for both acquiring and transmitting HIV infection.
Learning Objectives: Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants of this session will be able to: (1) Describe the predictors of HIV-related risk behaviors during incarceration. (2) Estimate the prevalence of high risk behaviors in inmates. (3) Discuss examples of interventions for working with inmates who engage in high risk behaviors while incarcerated
Keywords: Incarceration, HIV Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.