HIV-INFECTION AMONG MALE PRISONERS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 1989 TO 1994

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in male prisoners in South Australia from July 1989 to June 1994 was ascertained from a repeated cross-sectional study: We also compared the criminological a nd demographic characteristics and histories of drug use of 39 HIV-inf ected prisoners and a randomly selected sample of 86 uninfected prison ers admitted at the same time. The numbers of HIV-infected prisoners i n prison in any month ranged from 4 to 12. Prevalence among the total prison population ranged from 0.4 per cent to 1.4 per cent, and among the subpopulation of injecting drug users from 1.25 per cent to 4.36 p er cent. Many HIV-infected prisoners continued after their diagnosis t o have lifestyles that resulted in imprisonment. Infected prisoners we re significantly older, had spent longer in prison and were more likel y to be users of heroin (OR = 13.1) and methadone (OR = 25.4) than con trols. Infection with HIV among South Australian prisoners has been co ntinuous since at least the mid-1980s. The recidivism among many of th e infected prisoners contributes to the variation in prevalence but al so raises concerns about their management. Greater effort to minimise the recidivism of the HIV-infected prisoners could reduce the prevalen ce of HIV in the prison population.