The Relation Between HIV Testing Practices and AIDS-Related Death Statistics in State Correctional Systems

Angell, Lisa M. (2006) The Relation Between HIV Testing Practices and AIDS-Related Death Statistics in State Correctional Systems. Masters, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Central Connecticut State University.

Abstract

Infectious disease rates are ten times more prevalent in state prison systems than in the United State’s general population. Rates of HIV infection are eight to twenty times higher in the incarcerated population than the general population. Twenty percent of the inmate population is HIV positive. As thirty-nine percent of individuals who are tested in the later stages of the disease progression die within one year of their test, earlier identification may be a key to managing the virus and extending life. Reducing AIDS-related inmate deaths and prolonging life may be achieved in correctional institutions if HIV is caught earlier, however not all states’ institutions test for HIV under the same circumstances. This study analyzed secondary data to examine the relationship between state correctional system’s HIV testing practices and AIDS-related death statistics. AIDS-related death as a percentage of all deaths and AIDS-related death rates per 100,000, as well as state correctional system testing practices were compared for the years 1993, 2000 and 2003. This study compared the means of the AIDS-related death (ARD) statistics of the two testing circumstances, “on request” and “on entry” as well as analyzed the results of the Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Signed-Ranks test to determine if there was a relation to ARD rates and HIV testing circumstances based on this data. No significant statistical evidence was found at this time to support the hypothesis that state correctional system HIV testing practices were associated with AIDS-related death statistics.