At the 12 th World AIDS Conference in Geneva, a number of presentations addressed the unique problems confronting those managing HIV disease in persons who are incarcerated. On a global scale, as demonstrated by the studies discussed below, the Geneva conference reaffirmed that correctional facilities continue to serve as reservoirs of HIV-infection, hepatitis and tuberculosis. Unprotected sexual intercourse and injection drug use within overcrowded correctional facilities pose formidable public health dilemmas. Persons with AIDS use daily video presentations and discussions to educate 500 new inmates per week regarding awareness and prevention.
Medical care is provided through weekly medical clinics.
One-third of the inmates reported having been tattooed while in prison. Bortolozzi presented the status of 109 HIV-seropositive inmates within prisons of the State of Santa Fe. Ninety-eight of these inmates reported a history of injection drug use. Thirty-one were being treated with antiretroviral regimens. A number of correctional facilities are studying the possibility of undertaking pilot projects to study the distribution of sterile injection equipment.