270740 HIV and HCV prevention and screening program in a rural Oregon county jail

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Judith Leahy, MPH , Acute and Communicable Disease Program, Oregon Health Authority, Portland, OR
Tuesday Johnson, BS , Deschutes County Health Department HIV Program, Deschutes County Health Department, Bend, OR
Issues: Most people jailed in the US release within two weeks. Despite the CDC recommendation for HIV screening in jail settings due to the association of high -risk behaviors and incarceration, fewer than 5% of jails offer HIV or HCV screening. Limited resources create barriers for HIV and HCV screening in rural county jails.

Description: The Deschutes County Health Department provides an on-going HIV/HCV screening program within the Deschutes County Jail. A health department staff member works approximately 8 hours a week to lead the program, collect data, and provide HIV and HCV screening and linkage to care. The same person is the county Disease Intervention Specialist. Participants were jail program eligible inmates. The class and screenings were voluntary.

Lessons Learned: Since May 2011, seventy-one people participated in the program. Participants reported low levels of HIV and HCV knowledge. The jail population was under-tested and the jail setting provided an opportunity to reach high-risk rural populations. Seventy-five percent of respondents did not report an HIV test within the last year; 81% did not report an HCV test within the last year. It is possible to implement an HIV/HCV education and screening program in a rural jail with limited funding.

Recommendations: The program plans to incorporate HAV/HBV vaccinations and rapid HCV testing in February 2012. The program staff also reconnects jailed HIV positive clients to care and links clients who screen HCV positive with community clinics for futher assessment. The program plans to leverage health care reform opportunities for uninsured individuals.

Learning Areas:
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Identify the barriers for HIV/HCV prevention and screening activiites in rural county jails. Describe the elements of the Deschutes County Health Department HIV/HCV jail intervention.

Keywords: Correctional Institutions, Rural Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have worked with the Deschutes County in HIV and HCV Program for over six years. I conduct HIV and HCV education, counseling and testing in clinical and outreach settings including community events, needle exchange program sites, the county jail and work center. I initiated the jail HIV/HCV project collaboration and I am interested in jail setting program development, implementation and evaluation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4118.0: HIV & AIDS in Distinctive Populations