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Communicable Diseases

NCJ Number
197657
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 27 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 8-25
Author(s)
Cece Hill
Date Published
October 2002
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the problem of communicable disease in correctional institutions.
Abstract
Focusing on the problem of communicable diseases in correctional facilities, this article discusses disease testing, treatments, and numbers of affected inmates in the United States and Canada. Addressing HIV/AIDS, hepatitis A, B, and C, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papiloma virus, tuberculosis, and chlamydia, this article presents survey results from 45 United States and 6 Canadian correctional systems. Following a discussion of the prevalence of various diseases and disease testing throughout the surveyed systems, this article argues that a high incidence of HIV/AIDS was reported for male inmates in New Jersey, while high numbers of hepatitis C were reported in males in California and New Hampshire. High tuberculosis rates were noted in California, with 27.5 percent of males affected and 17 percent of female inmates affected. Surveys indicated that health care in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, and Texas was provided 100 percent on site and at least 62 percent on site at all other reporting systems. Communicable disease treatments included segregating infected inmates in roughly one out of every five United States and Canadian systems, and infected inmates were provided with appropriate medications prior to release in 98 percent of responding United States systems and in all of the Canadian systems. An extensive series of tables presenting survey results of disease testing, numbers of affected inmates, treatment standards, and release provisions are presented for all of the responding United States and Canadian correctional systems.

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