title: Jail inmates and HIV care: provision of antiretroviral therapy and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia prophylaxis.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine prescription and acceptance of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis in jail and at release. A retrospective cross sectional design was used, by record review, of 77 inmates receiving HIV-related care in the San Francisco City and County Jail and released to the community in 1997. Average CD4 cell count was 335/microl. Fifteen had undectable HIV RNA, and average viral load was 19,826 copies/ml. Fifty-eight per cent were put on ART in jail. Lower CD4 cell count was associated with ART (P=0.017). All inmates with CD4 cell counts less than 200/microl received PCP prophylaxis. According to 1996 guidelines, 72% of those eligible for ART were on therapy. Of 24 inmates released on ART, 71% followed medical advice and picked up medication at release. HIV care in the San Francisco Jail met high standards and exceeded levels reported in other populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Systems, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143-0608, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehrotra
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Menendez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Estes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goldenson
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tulsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012495:San Francisco; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents