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Abstract Details
Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C among Adults on Probation or Parole in the United States: 2015-2018
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2021;32(2):671-679. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2021.0096.
Greta Kilmer, Elizabeth Hughes
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Abstract
Background: Viral hepatitis is highly prevalent in U.S. prison populations, but prevalence has not been described among adults on probation/parole.
Methods: National Survey on Drug Use and Health data from 2015-2018 were pooled to estimate the prevalence of self-reported diagnosed hepatitis B or hepatitis C among adults reporting past-year parole vs. past-year probation only.
Results: About 6.4% of adults on parole reported a diagnosis of hepatitis B or hepatitis C, which was significantly higher than adults on probation only (3.2%). The prevalence for both these groups was significantly higher than for adults not on probation/parole (1.3%).
Conclusions: Adults on probation/parole were more likely to self-report a medical diagnosis of hepatitis B or hepatitis C compared with adults not on probation/parole. This population may be challenging to reach, but viral hepatitis interventions could improve the health of a vulnerable group and prevent transmission from prison populations to the community.