Pre-incarceration gender differences in HIV risk behaviors among prisoners participating in a randomized clinical trial of buprenorphine treatment

Background: The “Buprenorphine for Prisoners” study examined providing buprenorphine to male and female prison inmates either pre or post-release. The current poster examined gender differences in HIV-risk behaviors 30 days prior to their most recent incarceration. In the parent study, imprisoned males and females with pre-incarceration heroin dependence who were nearing release and met criteria for opioid agonist treatment were randomly assigned to receive buprenorphine in prison three-six months prior to release or receive buprenorphine upon release at a opioid treatment program or community health center. Methods: Chi-Square analyses explored gender differences in HIV risk among participants enrolling in an ongoing randomized clinical trial of prison-initiated buprenorphine treatment. The data for the present research included N = 231 male and female participants. Results: Examination of HIV-risk in the 30 days prior to their current incarceration, the sample reported sharing needles a mean of 12.3 (SD = 50.5) times and a mean of 22.0 (SD = 33.5) times engaging in unprotected sex. When gender differences were examined, females had a higher mean for times sharing needles (M = 24.0; SD = 82.1) compared to males (M = 6.2; SD = 19.0). Females also reported engaging in unprotected sex more frequently (M = 30.0; SD = 41.9) when compared to males (M = 19.4; SD = 30.1). Conclusions: Female inmates may be more likely to engage in drug and sexual HIV-risk behaviors prior to incarceration when compared to males. These behaviors increase their risk of contracting or transmitting HIV.