HIV Seropositivity and Related Factors Among Prisoners in Dire Dawa
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1989-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
HIV antibody was detected in 27 of 450 prisoners (6.0%), in a crosssectional
study carried out in the major prison of Dire DaHa district, in
eastern Ethiopia. Syphilis was found to be very common in the prisoners.
Overall, 31.6% of the prisoners had a positive VDRL. The rate in
prisoners who were HIV positive HaS 63% or 17 out of 27. A concurrent
diagnosis of syphilis was strongly associated with HIV seroposi ti vi ty.
(Odd's ratio = 4.09 ). Recent admission to prison within the past three
months was strongly associated with HIV positivity (Odd's ratio = 3.72);
21 of the 27 HIV positive prisoners had been in prison for less than three
months. Factors found important in other studies on prisoners and AIDS,
such as homosexuality and intravenous drug use were not found to be
features of prisoners in Dire Dawa. Surprisingly, significant
associations could not be proved between number of prostitute contacts or
number of sexual contacts per month before prison and HIV positivity.
Duration of residence in Dire Dawa tOlm, travel outside of Dire Dawa and
number of l ong term sex partners before prison, were not found to be
associated with HIV seropositivity . Likewise, no statistically
significant correlation was found between HIV seropositivity and history
of injections, dental extractions or immunizations in the past. Only 8 of
the 450 prisoners (1. 6%) were uncircumcised. Al though one of the eight
was HIV positive, no relationship was found between the circumcision state
and HIV infection. That all 27 HIV positive prisoners had been in prison
shorter than 12 months with 21 of them (77.8%) imprisoned for less than
three months, suggests that the epidemic in Dire Dawa may be of recent
origin. The high prevalence seen in prisoners in Dire Dawa likely
reflects infection in the surrounding community, and are a cause for
serious concern.
Description
Keywords
HIV Seropositivity