Crime victimization is a major public health problem among persons with SMI who are treated in the community. We recommend directions for future research, propose modifications in public policy, and suggest how the mental health system can respond to reduce victimization and its consequences.

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AIDS was first identified among prison inmates in 1983. In 2001, the rate of confirmed cases of HIV infection was four times greater among federal and state prison inmates than in the general population. This study used extensive interviews to assess Illinois prison inmates’ sexual and drug-use practices, their knowledge about HIV riskreduction techniques, and their beliefs regarding their own HIV-risk status and their ability to avoid HIV infection. Respondents were classified into risk groups based on their sexual and drug-use behaviors prior to incarceration. Compared to those in the low-risk group, respondents in the high-risk group were more likely to have used or sold drugs and to have lower self-efficacy and perceived-risk scores. Respondents in the moderate-risk group were more likely than those in the low-risk group to be young, to have sold drugs, and to have lower self-efficacy scores. The implications of these differences for HIV-prevention programs tailored by risk profile are discussed.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, billions of people have gone into lockdown, facing pandemic related challenges that engender weight gain, especially in the obese. We report the results of an online survey, conducted during Israel’s first quarantine, of 279 adults treated in hospital-based obesity clinics with counseling, medications, surgery, endoscopic procedures, or any combination of these for weight loss. In this study, we assessed the association between changes in dietary and lifestyle habits and body weight, and the benefits of receiving weight management care remotely through telemedicine during lockdown. Compared to patients not receiving obesity care via telemedicine, patients receiving this care were more likely to lose weight (OR, 2.79; p = 0.042) and also to increase participation in exercise (OR, 2.4; p = 0.022). While 40% of respondents reported consuming more sweet or salty processed snacks and 33% reported less vegetables and fruits, 65% reported more homemade foods. At the same time, 40% of respondents reported a reduction in exercise and 52% reported a decline in mood. Alterations in these eating patterns, as well as in exercise habits and mood, were significantly associated with weight changes. This study highlights that lockdown affects health behaviors associated with weight change, and advocates for the use of telemedicine to provide ongoing obesity care during future quarantines in order to promote weight loss and prevent weight gain.