Coinfections by HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C in imprisoned injecting drug users

In order to know the prevalence and risk factors for coinfections by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) among injecting drug users (IDUs), a cross-sectional study was carried out in two prisons of the province of Cantabria, northern Spain. Three hundred and sixty-two IDU inmates were recruited. All inmates were interviewed and their blood tested for HIV, HBV and HCV. Crude and multiple risk factor adjusted for (by polychotomous logistic regression) odds ratios were calculated. Prevalence of HBV-HCV coinfection (42.5%) was higher than HIV-HBV-HCV coinfection (37.3%), whereas monoinfections were very uncommon (overall: 13%). Long-term injectors and reincarceration were the foremost risk factors for both coinfections, showing a trend between the degree of association and the number of viruses infecting a patient. No significant relationship between coinfection status and sexual practices was observed. The results related to coinfections are consistent with previous studies of prevalence and risk factors for HIV, HBV and HCV, in indicating that the high rates of coinfections among IDU inmates emphasise the need to harm-reduction policy across prisons in Spain.     

Electrocardiographic changes in ex-prisoners of war released from detention camps

The aim of the study was to determine whether and to what extent changes in the electrocardiograms occurred in released prisoners of war (POWs) from Serbian detention camps and whether the frequency of occurrence differed from similar changes in a control group. An electrocardiogram was recorded and medical examinations conducted on 182 randomly selected ex-POWs. The subjects were male with a mean age of 35.8 ± 11.0 years, age range 18–65 years and the average length of imprisonment 164.5 ± 87.1 days. The electrocardiograms were analysed according to the Minnesota côde. The following changes were frequently found: postinfarction Q-wave in 3.3%, control 1.1% (not significant), ST-segment depression horizontal or descendent in 14.3% (controls 3.8%, P < 0.01), particularly S-T segment depression of up to 0.5 mm in 12.1% (controls 2.2%, (P < 0.01), total negative T-wave in 7.1% (control group 3.3%, not significant), total arrhythmia 18.1% (controls 7.1%, P < 0.01), particularly ventricular premature beats in 2.2% (controls 0.5%, not significant), incomplete left bundle-branch block 2.2% (not registered in the control group), complete left bundle-branch block in 0.5% (not registered in the control group), sinus tachycardia in 12.1% (controls 6.6%, not significant), sinus bradycardia 3.3% (not registered in the control group) and microvoltage QRS complex in 11.5% (controls 0.5%, P < 0.001). The results of this study confirm that changes in the electrocardiograms of the POWs released from Serbian detention camps were far more frequent than in the controls.     

宝山监狱服刑人员的心理健康状况及其相关因素分析

目的 了解监狱内服刑人员的心理状况及其相关因素.方法 采用自编一般情况调查表、焦虑自评量表(SAS)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)、症状自评量表(SCL-90)、对宝山监狱2000例服刑人员进行评定.结果 服刑人员的焦虑、抑郁总分显著高于正常人群(P＜0.001);而SAS总分高于正常人群上限者占39.9%,SDS总分高于正常人群上限者占52.6%;既有焦虑又有抑郁情绪的人占35.4%;负性情绪中未婚和离婚者显著高于已婚者(P＜0.05);焦虑、抑郁情绪与学历、刑期、是否愿意与心理工作者交流、症状自评量表总分均有不同程度的相关性.其中焦虑情绪在不同刑期之间经F检验有显著差异(P＜0.05),SCL-90总分、均分、8项因子分显著高于常模(P＜0.001),其总分的高低与年龄、学历、SAS总分、SDS总分显著相关,而不同刑期的服刑人员之间的量表总分经F检验则无显著差异(P＞0.05).结论 服刑人员中较多的人存在着心理障碍.     

Infecciones de transmisión sexual en hombres internos en prisión: riesgo de desarrollo de nuevas infecciones

ObjectiveTo measure incidence and main risk factors related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Daroca Prison (Zaragoza, Spain).MethodA retrospective cohort study (2005-2013) to measure the incidence of STI and a cross-sectional study to measure risk factors.ResultsOf the 203 inmates, 79 developed an STI, 37 had a previous STI, 55.2% lacked knowledge on STI prevention, and 28.9% showed behaviours unfavourable for STI prevention. The incidence rate was 6.5 STIs per 1,000 inmates-year. The most frequent STIs were hepatitis B (39.7%), Ureaplasma urealyticum (19.1%), herpes simplex (16.2%) and HIV (8.8%). The risk (hazard ratio, HR) of acquiring a new STI was significantly higher in inmates with a history of previous STI (HR = 2.61; 95%CI: 1.01 to 6.69), and was at the limit of significance for non-preventive behaviour (HR = 2.10; 95%CI: 0.98 to 4.53), but not in knowledge related to STIs (HR = 1.33; 95%CI: 0.58 to 3.07).ConclusionThe most important risk factors in prison are behaviours related to STIs and previous history of STIs. Other factors are being a repeat offender, injecting drug use, or being in a methadone programme. Health personnel and peer education can facilitate prevention and control.     

监狱服刑人员情绪管理团体辅导研究

目的探讨团体辅导对监狱服刑人员情绪管理的干预效果。方法以北京市某监狱12名服刑人员作为实验组，12名同质服刑人员作为控制组，对其进行团体辅导干预。在团体辅导前后施测SCL-90和正性情感、负性情感、情感平衡量表。结果团体辅导前实验组与控制组在SCL-90量表各纬度和正性情感、负性情感、情感平衡量表上得分均无显著差异，在辅导结束后，实验纽SCL-90量表躯体化和抑郁2纬度得分显著低于控制组（P〈0．05）；实验组负．性情感得分显著低于控制组（P〈0．05），实验组情感平衡得分显著高于控制组（P〈0．05）。结论团体辅导对监狱服刑人员情绪管理有明显的干预效果。     

Risk factors for all-cause, overdose and early deaths after release from prison in Washington state

Background

High mortality rates after release from prison have been well-documented, particularly from overdose. However, little is known about the risk factors for death after release from prison. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the demographic and incarceration-related risk factors for all-cause, overdose and early mortality after release from prison.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of inmates released from a state prison system from 1999 through 2003. The cohort included 30,237 who had a total of 38,809 releases from prison. Potential risk factors included gender, race/ethnicity, age, length of incarceration, and community supervision. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine risk factors for all-cause, overdose and early (within 30 days of release) death after release from prison.

Results

Age over 50 was associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 2.67 for each decade increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.23, 3.20) but not for overdose deaths or early deaths. Latinos were at decreased risk of death compared to Whites only for all-cause mortality (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42, 0.87). Increasing years of incarceration were associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91, 0.99) and overdose deaths (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.68, 0.95), but not early deaths. Gender and type of release were not significantly associated with all-cause, overdose or early deaths.

Conclusions

Age, ethnicity and length of incarceration were associated with mortality after release from prison. Interventions to reduce mortality among former inmates are needed.     

通辽市2008年羁押和收教人员艾滋病抗体筛查情况

目的了解通辽市羁押、收教人员艾滋病筛查情况,控制疾病的进一步蔓延。方法对通辽市羁押、收教人员艾滋病筛查情况资料进行统计分析。结果2008年共检测羁押、收教人员2080人,其中男性2021人,占97．16％;女性59人,占2．84％。检出2例HIV感染者。结论对羁押、收教人员进行艾滋病筛查是十分必要的,今后应加大管理力度,公安部门与卫生部门应进一步加强合作,从不同源头及早发现或阻断艾滋病的传播与蔓延。     

Visual evoked potentials in relation to factors of imprisonment in detention camps

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) of the pattern shift reversal type were determined in a representative group of 57 prisoners of war (POWs) released in 1992 from detention camps in former Yugoslavia. The parameters were correlated with the conditions in four camps (1–4). All subjects were male, with a mean age of 34.75 years (SD ± 8.92), average length of imprisonment 192.7 days (SD ± 77.6), mean loss of body mass during imprisonment 19.32% (SD ± 9.54), and the average number of reported blows to the head and neck was 25.7 (SD ±20.3). VEPs were determined on average 290.5 days after the last craniocerebral trauma caused by blows to the head and neck (SD ± 152.0) i.e. on average 218.5 days after release from the camp (SD ± 164.3). Although all the 57 POWs reported being maltreated to a certain extent, 14 reported being subjected to particularly brutal forms of torture, 5 had been held in solitary confinement and 25 had lost consciousness at least once. Solitary confinement and loss of consciousness had the most significant effect on VEPs, and the altered VEP parameters correlated significantly with the craniocerebral trauma experienced, loss of body mass and the length of time since the last craniocerebral trauma until examination, and from release until examination. However, the length of imprisonment and treatment in the camps did not have a significant effect on VEP parameters. The study confirmed that under such conditions the age of the subject is a risk factor. The results of this study also confirmed that prisoners in one camp had been subjected to the worst maltreatment.     

针对监狱羁押人员开展的艾滋病防治健康教育效果评价

目的研究对羁押人员进行艾滋病防治健康教育的效果,为此类活动的开展提供依据。方法于2006年1月～2006年3月对安徽省某监狱所有羁押人员进行多种形式的预防艾滋病相关知识的健康教育,在健康教育活动前后对羁押人员艾滋病防治知识、态度进行调查、分析。结果羁押人员艾滋病防治知识、态度水平较低,在健康教育前仅分别为31.9%和6.2%。经过为期2个月的健康教育后,知识知晓率和相关态度符合率分别提高到96.5%和76.7%,差异都有显著性。结论对监狱羁押人员开展艾滋病防治健康教育十分必要而且可以取得很好的效果。