Voluntary anonymous linked study of the prevalence of HIV infection and hepatitis C among inmates in a Canadian federal penitentiary for women.

Abstract

It is possible to obtain a high participation rate in a voluntary, anonymous, linked point-prevalence study in a long-stay penitentiary. The HIV seroprevalence rate of 0.9% is lower than that found in studies in provincial (short-stay) prisons. However, the high rate of antibodies to hepatitis C suggests a significant level of risk behaviour, most likely injection drug use, and suggests the potential for a rapid increase in the rate of HIV infection should the number of newly admitted HIV-positive inmates who use injection drugs rise.