Abstract
The purpose of this research is to estimate the prevalence of two high-risk behaviors (anal sex and injection drug use) in prison inmates and to identify the predictors of HIV-related risk behaviors during incarceration. Data come from a 1998 cross-sectional quantitative study at three Louisiana state prisons for men from surveys (N = 2,287) and presurvey and postsurvey focus groups. Results show that the best way to determine who will inject drugs and have anal sex in prison is to identify inmates who engaged in those behaviors before incarceration. Multivariate analysis found four statistically significant predictor variables, resulting in a small but extremely high-risk group of men who engaged in high-risk behaviors both before and during incarceration. Inmates who, during the month before incarceration, engaged in anal sex, gave sex for money, or used injection drugs and those with high knowledge of HIV transmission risks were more likely to engage in high-risk behavior in prison. Study results suggest that prevention and intervention programs may be more efficient and effective if targeted specifically to this narrowly defined risk group.
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