From the “streets” to “normal life”: Assessing the role of social support in release planning for HIV-positive and substance-involved prisoners.

From the “streets” to “normal life”: Assessing the role of social support in release planning for HIV-positive and substance-involved prisoners.

Published: | Author: Carrie Pettus-Davis, Anna M. Scheyett, Danielle Hailey, Carol Golin, David Wohl

In 2005, there were 20,888 prisoners in the U.S. prisons known to be HIV-positive, many substance-involved. The high reincarceration rate of substance-involved prisoners, coupled with the fact that substance-involved prisoners are more prone to HIV-risk behaviors in the community, necessitates attention to preventing substance use and HIV transmission risk behaviors of prisoners upon reentry to communities. We use a social support framework to explore the role of social support in HIV+ prisoners’ expectations of release and postrelease plans.

Category: Reentry, HIV/AIDS, Substance Use, Social Support
HIV-Infected Prison Inmates: Depression and Implications for Release Back to Communities

HIV-Infected Prison Inmates: Depression and Implications for Release Back to Communities

Published: | Author: Anna M. Scheyett, Sharon Parker, Carol Golin, Becky White, Carrie Pettus-Davis, David Wohl

High rates of both HIV and depression are seen in prison populations; depression has been linked to disease progression in HIV, risky behaviors, and medication non-adherence. Despite this, few studies have examined HIV-infected inmates with depression. We therefore conducted an exploratory study of a sample of HIV-infected inmates in North Carolina prisons (N=101) to determine what proportion of this sample screened positive for depression and whether depression was associated with different pre-incarceration characteristics or post-release needs. 

Category: Mental Health, HIV/AIDS