Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Trends in prevalence of HIV infection, hepatitis B and hepatitis C among Australian prisoners - 2004, 2007, 2010

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Reekie, J.
    Levy, M.
    Richards, A.
    Wake, C.
    Siddall, D.
    Beasley, H.
    Kumar, S.
    Butler, Tony
    Date
    2014
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Reekie, J. and Levy, M. and Richards, A. and Wake, C. and Siddall, D. and Beasley, H. and Kumar, S. et al. 2014. Trends in prevalence of HIV infection, hepatitis B and hepatitis C among Australian prisoners - 2004, 2007, 2010. Medical Journal of Australia. 200 (5): pp. 277-280.
    Source Title
    Medical Journal of Australia
    DOI
    10.5694/mja13.11062
    ISSN
    0025-729X
    School
    National Drug Research Institute (NDRI)
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46551
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Objective: To report the prevalence of markers for HIV infection, hepatitis B and hepatitis C among Australian prison entrants. Design: Cross-sectional survey conducted over 2-week periods in 2004, 2007 and 2010. Setting: Reception prisons in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. Participants: Individuals entering prison from the community during the survey periods. Main outcome measure: Prevalence of anti-HIV antibody (anti-HIV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) and anti-hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV). Results: The study included 1742 prison entrants: 588 (33.8%) in 2004, 536 (30.8%) in 2007 and 618 (35.5%) in 2010. The age-standardised prevalence estimates for anti-HIV, HBsAg and anti-HBc were 0.4%, 2.3% and 21.7% respectively, and remained stable over the three survey periods. The age-standardised prevalence estimate for anti-HCV was 29.0%; it decreased over time (33.3% in 2004 v 23.2% in 2010; P = 0.001), and this coincided with a decrease in prison entrants reporting injecting drug use (58.3% [343/588] in 2004 v 45.3% [280/618] in 2010; P < 0.001). Among injecting drug users, the prevalence of anti-HCV was 57.2% and did not change significantly over time. Of those who were anti-HCV positive, 33.7% (140/415) were unaware of their infection status, and 74.3% (185/249) of those who tested positive for anti-HBc reported that they had never had hepatitis B. Conclusions: HIV prevalence is low in the Australian prisoner population but transmission remains a risk. Despite a decrease in the proportion of prison entrants reporting injecting drug use, prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C has remained high. Treatment and prevention initiatives should be prioritised for this population.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • National Prison Entrants’ Bloodborne Virus & Risk Behaviour Survey 2004, 2007, And 2010
      Butler, Tony; Lim, David; Callander, D. (2011)
      Prisoner populations are characterised by engagement in a range of risk behaviours, most notably injecting drug use. Consequently they are at an increased risk of exposure to blood-borne viruses such as hepatitis B, ...
    • Hepatitis C in Australian prisons: A national needs assessment
      Mina, M.; Herawati, L.; Butler, Tony; Lloyd, A. (2016)
      © 2016 Emerald Group Publishing Limited.Purpose - Hepatitis C (HCV) infections are prevalent in custodial settings worldwide, yet provision of antiviral therapies is uncommon. Approximately 30, 000 prisoners are held in ...
    • Early primary care physician contact and health service utilisation in a large sample of recently released ex-prisoners in Australia: Prospective cohort study
      Young, Jesse; Arnold-Reed, D.; Preen, D.; Bulsara, M.; Lennox, N.; Kinner, S. (2015)
      Objective: To describe the association between ex-prisoner primary care physician contact within 1 month of prison release and health service utilisation in the 6 months following release. Design: A cohort from the Passports ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.