Revisiting the debate of voluntary versus mandatory HIV/AIDS testing in U.S. prisons.
Many studies examine HIV/AIDS and often there is a lack of consensus among researchers and policy-makers regarding the importance of mandatory or voluntary testing within a prison setting. This article revisits and extends this discussion by presenting arguments and issues related to testing inmates. A comparison of selected factors indicated that mandatory testing is an important adjunct to minimizing the impact of the spread of the virus both within prison and in the non-offender population. An important policy implication for adopting mandatory testing is that such a policy allows health care providers to intervene early and control the spread of the disease. Potential implications for future research and policy are discussed.
Amankwaa
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Albany State University, GA, USA.
Amankwaa
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LC
Ochie
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CO
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D018580:Mandatory Testing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011329:Prisoners