Gaps between HIV/AIDS policies and treatment in correctional facilities.
In this article the authors examined correctional policy and its impact on the incidence of HIV/AIDS in prison population. Using data from the Florida Correctional System, they find that HIV/AIDS is still the leading cause of death. Improved treatment and care may have led to declines in AIDS-related mortality but the prison population continues to experience a much higher risk of mortality than he general population in spite of changes in the treatment and provision of care to infected patients. The dominance of HIV-related deaths indicates that treatment and voluntary testing policy have been ineffective. The authors argue that the persistence of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths is largely attributable to continuing unequal distribution of health care resources between identified and unidentified HIV-infected inmates. Their analysis suggests that future changes in HIV/AIDS policy ib testing and treatment can contribute to improvement in health conditions of infected inmates.
Amankwaa
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Albany State University, Albany, GA, USA.
Bavon
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AL
Amankwaa
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LC
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends*; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006295:Health Resources; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D018580:Mandatory Testing; D016134:Organizational Policy; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000458:organization & administration*; D035141:Voluntary Programs