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Comparative Study
. 2018 Aug;95(4):488-498.
doi: 10.1007/s11524-018-0231-0.

HIV Care After Jail: Low Rates of Engagement in a Vulnerable Population

Benjamin Ammon  1 , Princess Iroh  2 , Yordanos Tiruneh  3 , Xilong Li  4 , Brian T Montague  5 , Josiah D Rich  6   7 , Ank E Nijhawan  8
Affiliations
Comparative Study

HIV Care After Jail: Low Rates of Engagement in a Vulnerable Population

Benjamin Ammon et al. J Urban Health. 2018 Aug.

Abstract

The criminal justice system is a critical area of focus to improve HIV outcomes and reduce health disparities. We analyzed demographic, incarceration, socioeconomic, and clinical data for HIV-positive persons released to the community from the Dallas County Jail (1450 incarcerations, 1111 unique individuals) between January 2011 and November 2013. The study population was 68% black and 14% Hispanic; overall linkage to care within 90 days of release was 34%. In adjusted analyses, Hispanics were more likely to link than whites (aOR 2.33 [95% CI: 1.55-3.50]), and blacks were as likely to link as whites (aOR 1.14 [95% CI: 0.84-1.56]). The majority of HIV-positive jail releases did not re-engage in HIV care after release, though Hispanics were twice as likely as other groups to link to care. Further efforts are needed to improve the transition from jail to community HIV care with particular attention to issues of housing, mental illness, and substance use.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; Health disparities; Health services; Housing; Jail; Linkage to care.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HIV-positive individuals released from Dallas County Jail to the community, January 2011–November 2013
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
HIV care cascade after release from Dallas County Jail, 2011–2013
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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