Prisons, hepatitis C and harm minimisation.
Australian prisons have been identified as a focus of the ongoing hepatitis C epidemic. Harm minimisation is the major strategy directed to community-based public health measures to control hepatitis C. Harm-minimisation strategies to protect inmates and workers are incompletely and inconsistently applied in Australian prisons. Overseas experience has demonstrated that introducing injecting-equipment exchange programs and professional tattoo parlours in prisons could at least partially reduce the risks of ongoing hepatitis C transmission, and would support prevention and treatment programs. A two-stage approach is suggested: firstly, implementing programs of proven effectiveness consistently across the eight Australian jurisdictions, and, secondly, expanding current initiatives in the light of international "best practice".
Levy
Michael H
MH
School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. mrya@tpg.com.au
Treloar
Carla
C
McDonald
Rodney M
RM
Booker
Norman
N
D001315:Australia; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D011329:Prisoners