A Yale study led by Frederick Altice, M.D. (senior author) and Jaimie Meyer, M.D. (first author), both of Yale School of Medicine and CIRA affiliates, has uncovered significant gender differences in the treatment outcomes of HIV-infected jail detainees who are transitioning to life outside jail, with women faring much worse than men. The study appears online in the American Journal of Public Health.
In the United States, the HIV epidemic is highly concentrated among those in the criminal justice system. One sixth of all people living with HIV/AIDS transition through jail or prison annually. In addition, the criminal justice population has high numbers of people who experience economic or social instability, psychiatric disorders, and substance use disorders. These conditions have an adverse impact on treatment outcomes for those infected with HIV, and also interfere with HIV prevention and treatment efforts. Unlike prisons, jails house individuals who are pre-trial or have short sentences, leading to rapid turnover that is particularly destabilizing.
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Citation:
Meyer, J.P., Zelenev, A., Wickersham, J.A., Williams, C.T., Teixeira, P.A., Altice, F.L. (2014) Gender Disparities in HIV Treatment Outcomes Following Release From Jail: Results From a Multicenter Study. American Journal of Public Health, Jan 16. [Epub ahead of print]
Published: Monday, January 27, 2014
