History of prior TB infection and HIV/AIDS risk behaviours among a sample of male inmates in the USA

Abstract

This study looked at inmates' self-reported data on prior treatment for tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS risk among a sample of inmates in a medium security prison. Contingency tables were used and risk ratios were computed to provide an estimate of relative risk for inmates with a history of being treated for TB in opposition to inmates without a history of being treated for TB. Findings suggest that inmates who reported being treated for TB were more likely to have had sex with a man while in prison and to report that, while in prison, they had a main sex partner. They were also 1.15 times more likely to have had sex with a person from the transgender community while in prison and 2.53 times more likely to report having been forced to have sex while in prison than those without a past history of being treated for TB. Future studies should attempt to determine the extent to which having an infectious disease such as TB impacts behavioural change with respect to behaviours practised by inmates.