Hepatitis C virus infection risk factors and test uptake in an English prison
Abstract
Background: People in prison are a key demographic in the drive to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV). There is insufficient knowledge about risk factors for HCV among the prison population, which may partially explain low test uptake. Aim(s): This study aimed to understand the HCV risk factors present and HCV test uptake in an English prison. Method(s): Men in prison were surveyed. The questions included whether they had been tested in current sentence, reasons for not being tested and risk factors for HCV. Finding(s): Of 109 respondents, 71% had not been tested in their current prison, 45% had not tested in their current sentence and 35% reported ever injecting drugs. Additional risk factors for hepatitis C included: sharing prison hair clippers (76%) and fighting in prison (44%). Conclusion(s): Not all people in prison with risk factors for HCV were tested. The role of intra-prison risks, such as fighting and sharing hair clippers, requires furtherexploration. Copyright © 2020 MA Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Date
2020
Type
Article
Subject
Hepatitis C, Male, Prisons
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Citation
Jack, K. (2020) 'Hepatitis C virus infection risk factors and test uptake in an English prison', Gastrointestinal Nursing, 18, pp. S10-S16. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.12968/gasn.2020.18.Sup10.S10.
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Mark Allen Publishing