title: Establishment of an HIV/sexually transmitted disease programme and prevalence of infection among incarcerated men in Jamaica.
abstract: The goal of this study is to describe the establishment of an HIV testing and treatment programme in the Jamaican correctional system and to estimate the prevalence of HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) among adult incarcerated men in this country. A demonstration project was implemented by the Jamaican Department of Correctional Services and Ministry of Health in the nation's largest correctional centre. All inmates were offered HIV and syphilis testing, and a subset was offered chlamydia, gonorrhoea and trichomoniasis testing. Cross-sectional data from the project were reviewed to determine the prevalence and correlates of HIV/STD. HIV test acceptance was 63% for voluntary testers (n = 1200). The prevalence of HIV was 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.33-4.64) (n = 1017) and the prevalence syphilis was 0.7% (95% CI 0.29-1.49) (n = 967). Among the subset tested (n = 396) the prevalence of chlamydia was 2.5% (95% CI 1.22-4.49) and for trichomoniasis it was 1.8% (95% CI 0.01-3.60), but no cases of gonorrhoea were detected (n = 396). The prevalence of HIV was significantly higher at 25% (95% CI 13.64-39.60) for persons located in a separate section where individuals labelled as men who have sex with men (MSM) are separated. HIV/STD testing is important and feasible in Jamaica. A special focus should be placed on providing services to inmates labelled as MSM. Other Caribbean nations may also benefit from similar programmes.
authors.affiliation: Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA. kandrino@tulane.edu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andrinopoulos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerrigan
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gaydos
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Plunkett
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maru
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ellen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006078:Government Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy