Substance Use and Sexual Behavior during Incarceration among 18- to 29-Year Old Men: Prevalence and Correlates

Abstract

An A-CASI survey of 197 men with a history of incarceration, ages 18-29, revealed that 50% and 17% of participants, respectively, had used substances or had sex while confined. Univariate regression analyses indicated that these two behaviors were correlated and both were associated with being older, having spent more years incarcerated, being sexual abused, and being involved with gangs and violence during incarceration. Multiple regression analyses showed that the likelihood of any substance use during incarceration was higher for men who were affiliated with a gang. Men were more likely to have had sex during incarceration if they reported having had a male sex partner in the community. The prevalence of sexual behavior also differed across sites. Findings document the occurrence of substance use and sexual behavior among incarcerated men, and highlight the need for continued research into the context of these behaviors.

Pre‐incarceration HIV risk behaviours of male and female inmates

“…Rates of unprotected vaginal sex with multiple partners reported by men and women in our study (49.6 and 40.3%, respectively), was lower than the 62% reported for participants in a similar study conducted in four prisons in the State of Illinois, USA (Swartz et al, 2004). The rate of unprotected vaginal intercourse found among men in our study is similar to that obtained among men in three States in the USA (49.6 vs. 45.3%; Seal et al, 2008) and the rate among women is similar to that reported in a previous study (40.3 vs. 35%) (Cotten-Oldenburg et al, 1999). A quarter of the women and 14% of the men in our study reported IDU.…”

“…The high HIV prevalence rates among persons entering jails and prisons, however, suggest that most HIV infections occurred before rather than during incarceration (Macalino, Vlahov, Sanford-Colby, Patel, Sabin, Salas, et al, 2004;Solomon et al, 2004;de Ravello, Brantley, Lamarre, Qayad, Aubert, & Beck-Sague, 2005;Weinbaum, Sabin, & Santibanez, 2005). This is not surprising, because studies have shown that incarcerated individuals are more likely to engage in risk behaviours outside jails and prisons, rather than within the correctional system (Wohl et al, 2000;Moseley & Tewksbury, 2006;Seal, Margolis, Morrow, Belcher, Sosman, Askew, et al, 2008). Various researchers believe that correctional facilities provide a critical opportunity to provide HIV prevention interventions and treatment to inmates (Grinstead, Zack, Faigeles, Grossman, & Blea, 1999;Wohl et al, 2000) because prisoners, who mainly come from under-served at-risk populations are easier to reach in the prison, they have fewer opportunities to engage in high risk behaviours, and they have access to health services (Braithwaite & Arriola, 2008).…”

Research Needed to More Effectively Combat HIV among African-American Men Who Have Sex with Men

“…46 The vast majority of AAMSM are likely to have been infected with HIV outside, rather than within a jail or prison setting. 47,48 …”

Predictors of sexual behaviour among men and women in New York City area prisons

“…First, the burden of HIV/AIDS is particularly heavy among incarcerated individuals (Spaulding et al 2009; Fazel and Baillargeon 2011; Seal et al 2008), and intra-prison seroconversion has been well documented (Taussig et al 2006; Horsburgh et al 1990; Krebs and Simmons 2002; Mutter, Grimes, and Labarthe 1994; Pinkerton, Galletly, and Seal 2007; Jafa et al 2009). Correctional authorities in the US generally prohibit the use of harm reduction strategies such as condom distribution (Krienert, Walsh, and Lech 2014; Hammett, Harmon, and Maruschak 1999).…”