Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO 80204, USA.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2011 Aug 15;57(5):429-34. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31821e9f41.
Former prison inmates are at risk for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) infection. This study was designed to understand how former inmates perceived their risk for HIV and HCV infection after release from prison, the behaviors and environmental factors that put patients at risk for new infection, and the barriers to accessing health care.
This was a qualitative study using individual, face-to-face, semistructured interviews exploring participants' perceptions and behaviors putting them at risk for HIV and HCV infection and barriers to engaging in regular medical care after release. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using a team-based general inductive approach.
Participants were racially and ethnically diverse and consisted of 20 men and 9 women with an age range of 22-57 years who were interviewed within the first 2 months after their release from prison to the Denver, Colorado community. Four major themes emerged: (1) risk factors including unprotected sex, transactional sex, and drug use were prevalent in the postrelease period; (2) engagement in risky behavior occurred disproportionately in the first few days after release; (3) former inmates had educational needs about HIV and HCV infection; and (4) former inmates faced major challenges in accessing health care and medications.
Risk factors for HIV and HCV infection were prevalent among former inmates immediately after release. Prevention efforts should focus on education, promotion of safe sex and needle practices, substance abuse treatment, and drug-free transitional housing. Improved coordination between correctional staff, parole officers, and community health care providers may improve continuity of care.
前囚犯面临 HIV 和丙型肝炎（HCV）感染的风险。本研究旨在了解前囚犯在出狱后如何看待自己感染 HIV 和 HCV 的风险，导致他们面临新感染风险的行为和环境因素，以及获得医疗保健的障碍。
这是一项使用个体、面对面、半结构化访谈的定性研究，旨在探讨参与者对 HIV 和 HCV 感染的看法和行为，以及出狱后参与常规医疗保健的障碍。使用基于团队的一般归纳方法对访谈记录进行编码和分析。
参与者在种族和民族上多种多样，包括 20 名男性和 9 名女性，年龄在 22-57 岁之间，在出狱后到科罗拉多州丹佛社区的头 2 个月内接受了采访。出现了四个主要主题：（1）风险因素，包括无保护性行为、交易性行为和吸毒，在出狱后时期普遍存在；（2）危险行为在出狱后的头几天过度发生；（3）前囚犯对 HIV 和 HCV 感染有教育需求；（4）前囚犯在获得医疗保健和药物方面面临重大挑战。
HIV 和 HCV 感染的风险因素在前囚犯出狱后立即普遍存在。预防工作应侧重于教育、促进安全性行为和针具使用、药物滥用治疗和无毒品过渡性住房。改善惩教人员、假释官和社区医疗保健提供者之间的协调，可能会改善护理的连续性。
