title: "Double burden": a qualitative study of HIV positive prisoners in Italy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to consider the influence of imprisonment on the health of prisoners with the HIV virus or AIDS and their perceptions of their quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a qualitative study involving adult male prisoners in three Italian prisons. A total of 19 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Life in prison for HIV positive detainees is experienced as a kind of "double burden," due to the connection between the loss of freedom and the limitations imposed by their health status. The experience of being ill and sick in prison results in the prisoner exhibiting fatalism towards the future, having a sense of alienation and marginalisation as well as being afraid of the consequences of living with HIV or AIDS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prison can be considered as a "total institution" where prisoners are cut off from every role except the negative one of a prisoner deprived of freedom, and this situation greatly contributes to apathy and reinforces the inmates' antisocial behaviour. Originality/value - This paper gives a voice to the needs and views of Italian prisoners who are HIV positive or who have AIDS and presents these in the context of the international situation.
authors.affiliation: Professor of Sociology at the Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino and Lazio Meridionale, Cassino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esposito
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006806:Human Rights / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Correctional health care; HIV; Health care; Italian prisoners; Italy; Prisons; Qualitative study