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HIV testing uptake among state
prisoners has risen to nearly 100 percent in the past three years thanks to a
new approach, a study by University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill researchers
finds.
Just three years ago, only 15
percent of male inmates and 80 percent of female inmates were screened for HIV,
according to the researchers — making it difficult for officials to monitor the
spread of the virus and treat those infected. Inmates had to elect whether they
wanted to be tested when asked about their high-risk behaviors.
CDC presented a new approach in
2006, which was adopted by N.C. prison officials in November 2008. Under the
revised policy, HIV testing is part of routine health screenings upon intake,
with inmates having the choice to opt out. Now, 90 percent-95 percent of prisoners
statewide are tested for HIV upon entering prison, said Dr. David Wohl,
co-director of HIV Services for the N.C. Department of Correction.
Wohl noted that 97 percent of
inmates who tested HIV-positive already knew they had HIV. That only 3 percent
first learned they were HIV-positive through correctional-setting testing
indicates there is a very small number of unreported HIV cases among North
Carolina’s prisoners, he added.
While Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS) data show 20 states have adopted mandatory inmate HIV testing, Wohl
believes opt-out testing is a better approach. Inmates are receptive to HIV
prevention and treatment information when given the consent choice, said Wohl.
“The idea of coercing inmates into being tested makes me uncomfortable,” he
said.
BJS data from 2008 showed North
Carolina had the fifth-highest rate (1.5 percent-2 percent) of inmates with
confirmed HIV or AIDS compared to other states.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
