This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Harawa, N. T. Articles by MacKellar, D. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Harawa, N. T. Articles by MacKellar, D. A. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Using Arrest Charge to Screen for Undiagnosed HIV Infection Among New Arrestees: A Study in Los Angeles County

Department of Research, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, California, ninaharawa{at}cdrewu.edu

Trista A. Bingham, MS, MPH, PhD

HIV Epidemiology Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, California

Qiana R. Butler, MPH

Cerner LifeSciences, Beverly Hills, California

Karen S. Dalton, DrPH

Correctional Services Division, Los Angeles (California) Sheriff's Department

William E. Cunningham, MD, MPH

School of Medicine and School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles

Stephanie Behel, MPH

Global AIDS Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

Duncan A. MacKellar, MA, MPH

Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology, National Center for HIV, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

Despite high documented HIV prevalence, few jail systems offer universal HIV screening, nor is this always feasible. The authors evaluated undiagnosed HIV infection and HIV risk history by arrest charge among 1,322 new arrestees to examine whether specific charges may help prioritize jail-based screening. Undiagnosed HIV prevalence was 2.7% and 1.0% among males and females, with 32% and 45% reporting recent STD diagnoses or high-risk behaviors for HIV. HIV risk history distinguished HIV-infected males but not females. Males with parole violation, sex, or theft charges had high undiagnosed HIV infection rates relative to other males. A weaker trend was observed for females with parole violation, drug, or violent charges. These charges represented 30% and 66% of males and females studied and 56% and 100% of their undiagnosed HIV infections, respectively. Using arrest charge to target screening may efficiently increase HIV diagnosis in jail inmates where universal HIV screening is not possible.

Key Words: HIV epidemiology • HIV testing • incarceration • jail health care

Journal of Correctional Health Care, Vol. 15, No. 2, 105-117 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1078345808330038


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?