A survey of bloodborne viruses and associated risk behaviours in Greek prisons.
Addiction
; 93(2): 243-51, 1998 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9624725
ABSTRACT
AIMS:
To determine HIV and hepatitis infection prevalence and correlates with risk behaviour.DESIGN:
Cross-sectional study voluntary, anonymous HIV, hepatitis (HCV, HBV and HDV) surveillance and questionnaire on risk factors.SETTING:
Korydallos Prison, Athens and Ag. Stefanos Prison, Patra, Greece.PARTICIPANTS:
Of 544 drug users imprisoned for drug related offences, all completed the questionnaire and 533 blood samples were collected. MEASUREMENTS HIV (by anti-HIV-1), HCV (by anti-HCV), HBV (by anti-HBc, HBsAg) and HDV (by anti-HDV) prevalence. Data on demography, legal status, drug use, sharing of injecting equipment.FINDINGS:
Of the 544 drug users, 375 (68.9%) had injected drugs (IDUs) at some time, 35% of whom had injected whilst in that prison. Of the 533 blood samples tested, one was positive for anti-HIV-1 (0.19%), 310 for anti-HCV (58.2%), 306/531 (57.6%) for anti-HBc, 34/527 (6.5%) for HBsAg and 12/527 (2.3%) for anti-HDV. Prevalence rates for IDUs only were 0.27% for HIV-1, 80.6% for hepatitis C, 62.7% for hepatitis B and 3.3% for hepatitis D. Ninety-two per cent of IDUs injecting in prison shared needles, indicating that IDUs inject less but share more during incarceration. Multiple logistic regression revealed needle-sharing as the most important risk factor for HCV infection in IDUs. Prior knowledge of a positive hepatitis result did not appear to inhibit IDUs from practising risky behaviours in prison.CONCLUSIONS:
The epidemic of hepatitis B and C among imprisoned IDUs identified by this study constitutes a major public health problem. Prevention programmes, such as counselling, HBV vaccination, community-based methadone maintenance treatment and syringe exchange schemes, are necessary in order to prevent a further spread.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
2_ODS3
/
8_ODS3_consumo_sustancias_psicoactivas
Problema de salud:
2_enfermedades_transmissibles
/
2_sustancias_psicoativas
/
8_opioid_abuse
Asunto principal:
Prisioneros
/
Infecciones por VIH
/
Hepatitis Viral Humana
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Addiction
Asunto de la revista:
TRANSTORNOS RELACIONADOS COM SUBSTANCIAS
Año:
1998
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Grecia