NCJ Number
149970
Journal
Journal of Prison and Jail Health Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: (Winter 1993) Pages: 135-155
Date Published
1993
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by demographic and behavioral characteristics and to evaluate the costs associated with universal screening of arrestees at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana, for sexually transmitted diseases (STD's).
Abstract
The prevalence of syphilis, HBV, and HIV infection were evaluated in two separate analyses: (1) name-linked portion, in which serum samples for syphilis and HBV testing were linked by name to a study questionnaire; and (2) number- linked portion, in which waste serum samples left over from syphilis and HBV screening tests were linked to an anonymous data sheet. Within 72 hours of their arrest, 576 new arrestees incarcerated at the Lake County Jail between October 1991 and January 1992 were offered a health evaluation and asked to participate in the study; 319 arrestees were screened for syphilis, HBV and HIV infection. The prevalence of syphilis was 2.5 percent, hepatitis B surface antigen 1.6 percent, past or present HBV infection 21.9 percent, and HIV infection 1.6 percent. Targeted screening for STD's proved to be more cost-effective than universal screening. 26 references and 6 tables