Document 0350
 DOCN  M9590350
 TI    HIV behind bars: the Canadian experience.
 DT    9509
 AU    Hankins C; Centre for AIDS Studies, Montreal Regional Public Health
       Team,; Quebec, Ca.
 SO    Annu Conf Australas Soc HIV Med. 1994 Nov 3-6;6:145 (unnumbered
       abstract). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ASHM6/95291749
 AB    Correctional institutions have the highest HIV prevalence of any
       institutional setting in Canada. In December 1993, only 102 (0.8%) of
       13084 federal inmates were known to have HIV and no unlinked studies had
       been done. Rates in provincial settings relate directly to the % of
       inmates who were injection drug users (IDU) before imprisonment. They
       vary from 1.2% (female) and 1.0% (male) in Ontario, 3.3% (female) and
       1.0% (male) in British Columbia (B.C.), to 8.4% (female) and 3.6% (male)
       in Quebec. Among inmates with a history of IDU rates are 2.4% (n = 744)
       in B.C.; 3.7% (n = 1446) and 11.3% (n = 885) in Quebec. HIV among female
       IDU in Quebec is associated in regression analysis with needle contact
       with an HIV+ individual, history of herpes, and having had an IDU
       regular sex partner since 1979. Many recommendations concerning HIV in
       prison have not been fully implemented and those that have are not being
       evaluated. Condoms are available with varying accessibility in all
       federal and some provincial institutions. Bleach for cleaning injection
       equipment and a pilot project to assess the feasibility of direct
       one-for-one needle exchange have not been approved. Over 6% of
       incarcerated IDU (42/693) in Quebec admit to injection in prison. Sexual
       activity and the possession of contraband continue to be disciplinary
       offenses. As with condoms, bleach provision and needle exchange
       programmes could be instituted without modifying disciplinary status.
       Unique opportunities to offer effective prevention and treatment to
       high-risk prisoners are being lost.
 DE    Canada/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Comparative Study  *Cross-Cultural Comparison
       *Disease Outbreaks  Female  Human  HIV
       Infections/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/PREVENTION & CONTROL/TRANSMISSION  Knowledge,
       Attitudes, Practice  Male  Needle Sharing/ADVERSE EFFECTS
       Prisons/*STATISTICS & NUMER DATA  Sexual Partners  Substance Abuse,
       Intravenous/COMPLICATIONS/EPIDEMIOLOGY/  REHABILITATION  MEETING
       ABSTRACT

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).