engleski

Sociodemographic characteristics and risk behaviors for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection among Croatian male prisoners

From 2007 to 2009, a total of 190 Croatian male prisoners were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti- HCV and p24/anti-HIV1/2. About one half of participants reported more than one potential risk behavior: 34.8% reported injected drug use (IDU), 62.5% multiple sexual partners, 13% male-to-male sex, 22.6% paid sex, 75.6% unprotected sex with casual partners, 41.7% tattoos/piercing and 17.4% travelling and long staying abroad. Two participants (1.1%) tested positive for HBsAg, 7.9% for anti-HBc, 10.6% for anti-HCV and none for HIV. A significantly higher HCV seroprevalence rate was found in prisoners who were unemployed (P=0.013) as well as in those who resided in urban areas (P=0.046). The HCV seroprevalence was correlated to IDU (42.4% in IDUs vs. 4% in those who denied drug use, P<0.001). Among IDUs, a significantly higher HCV prevalence was found in prisoners who shared injecting equipment (72.7% vs. 4%, P<0.001). Prisoners who reported unprotected sexual activity with casual partners had higher HCV seroprevalence (21.8%) than those who reported using condoms (3.6%, P=0.027). However, differences in HBV seropositivity among these groups did not reach statistical significance (16.9% vs. 3.6%, P=0.087). History of tattoos was associated with HCV seropositivity (P=0.007). The seroprevalence rate of both HBV and HCV increased with the increasing number of risk behaviors (P=0.033 and P<0.001, respectively).

HIV ; HBV ; HCV ; prisoners ; Croatia

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