Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding

Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transferred from one person to another through sexual contact. Despite high rates of STIs in prisons, there is no sufficient screening, prevention, and treatment programs to prevent STIs transmission among prisoners. Due to the contact between...

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Main Authors: Behnam Farhoudi, Elnaz Shahmohamadi, Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi, SeyedAlireza Nadji, Fatemeh Pahlaviani, Mehrzad Tashakorian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Termedia Publishing House 2024-11-01
Series:HIV & AIDS Review. International Journal of HIV-Related Problems
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Online Access:https://hivaids.termedia.pl/Prevalence-of-sexually-transmitted-infections-and-associated-factors-among-male-prisoners,153952,0,2.html
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author Behnam Farhoudi
Elnaz Shahmohamadi
Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi
SeyedAlireza Nadji
Fatemeh Pahlaviani
Mehrzad Tashakorian
author_facet Behnam Farhoudi
Elnaz Shahmohamadi
Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi
SeyedAlireza Nadji
Fatemeh Pahlaviani
Mehrzad Tashakorian
author_sort Behnam Farhoudi
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transferred from one person to another through sexual contact. Despite high rates of STIs in prisons, there is no sufficient screening, prevention, and treatment programs to prevent STIs transmission among prisoners. Due to the contact between prisoners and general population during visiting or after release, controlling STIs transmission among prisoners helps significantly decrease the rate of STIs in society. Therefore, recognizing and reducing risky behaviors among prisoners may have remarkable effects in this regard. This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of STIs among incarcerated men through clinical examination and molecular tests, and to recommend possible and proper solutions for controlling STIs in prisons. Material and methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 139 incarcerated men in the Great Tehran Prison, Iran from January to September 2018. We aimed to evaluate the risk factors and prevalence of STIs among imprisoned men based on clinical and molecular findings initiated by active (screening prisoners with STIs’ symptoms complaints) case findings. Results Among those screened, a total of 139 prisoners were found by active and passive case findings for STIs symptoms. They were examined by complete genital and anal examination, followed by molecular testing for a definite diagnosis. The mean age of participants was 33.4 years. During active and passive case findings, 27 (19.4%) prisoners reported abnormal urethral discharge, and 89 (59.5%) individuals claimed that they have had STIs, most of them gonorrhea. Furthermore, most of the prisoners were not aware of the possibility that their sexual partners could have an STI. Also, 104 (74.8%) prisoners had a history of drug use. In clinical examination, 15 (10.8%) individuals had abnormal urethral discharges. In molecular survey, 7 (5%) persons had gonorrhea, 3 (2.2%) had Chlamydia trachomatis, and 3 (2.2%) had Mycoplasma. Conclusions Prisons are high-risk settings for transmission of STIs, while the prevention, screening, and treatment programs are not adequately developed. Educating prisoners about signs and symptoms, risk behaviors, STI preventive measures, regular screening of prisoners, and sufficient treatment can help control the STIs prevalence among the prisoners and, therefore, in the general population
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1732-2707
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series HIV & AIDS Review. International Journal of HIV-Related Problems
spelling doaj-art-396c15844a7f4bef8ca044519463e0582025-01-27T11:06:39ZengTermedia Publishing HouseHIV & AIDS Review. International Journal of HIV-Related Problems1730-12701732-27072024-11-0123434935410.5114/hivar/153952153952Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case findingBehnam Farhoudi0Elnaz Shahmohamadi1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1912-9923Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi2SeyedAlireza Nadji3Fatemeh Pahlaviani4Mehrzad Tashakorian5Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Amir-al-Momenin Hospital, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IranIranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranIranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranVirology Research Center, National Institutes of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranIranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranHealth and Treatment Directorate of Prisons and Security and Corrective Measures Organization, Tehran, IranIntroduction Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are transferred from one person to another through sexual contact. Despite high rates of STIs in prisons, there is no sufficient screening, prevention, and treatment programs to prevent STIs transmission among prisoners. Due to the contact between prisoners and general population during visiting or after release, controlling STIs transmission among prisoners helps significantly decrease the rate of STIs in society. Therefore, recognizing and reducing risky behaviors among prisoners may have remarkable effects in this regard. This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of STIs among incarcerated men through clinical examination and molecular tests, and to recommend possible and proper solutions for controlling STIs in prisons. Material and methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 139 incarcerated men in the Great Tehran Prison, Iran from January to September 2018. We aimed to evaluate the risk factors and prevalence of STIs among imprisoned men based on clinical and molecular findings initiated by active (screening prisoners with STIs’ symptoms complaints) case findings. Results Among those screened, a total of 139 prisoners were found by active and passive case findings for STIs symptoms. They were examined by complete genital and anal examination, followed by molecular testing for a definite diagnosis. The mean age of participants was 33.4 years. During active and passive case findings, 27 (19.4%) prisoners reported abnormal urethral discharge, and 89 (59.5%) individuals claimed that they have had STIs, most of them gonorrhea. Furthermore, most of the prisoners were not aware of the possibility that their sexual partners could have an STI. Also, 104 (74.8%) prisoners had a history of drug use. In clinical examination, 15 (10.8%) individuals had abnormal urethral discharges. In molecular survey, 7 (5%) persons had gonorrhea, 3 (2.2%) had Chlamydia trachomatis, and 3 (2.2%) had Mycoplasma. Conclusions Prisons are high-risk settings for transmission of STIs, while the prevention, screening, and treatment programs are not adequately developed. Educating prisoners about signs and symptoms, risk behaviors, STI preventive measures, regular screening of prisoners, and sufficient treatment can help control the STIs prevalence among the prisoners and, therefore, in the general populationhttps://hivaids.termedia.pl/Prevalence-of-sexually-transmitted-infections-and-associated-factors-among-male-prisoners,153952,0,2.htmlgonorrheaurethritisepidemiologyscreeningchlamydia
spellingShingle Behnam Farhoudi
Elnaz Shahmohamadi
Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi
SeyedAlireza Nadji
Fatemeh Pahlaviani
Mehrzad Tashakorian
Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
HIV & AIDS Review. International Journal of HIV-Related Problems
gonorrhea
urethritis
epidemiology
screening
chlamydia
title Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
title_full Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
title_fullStr Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
title_short Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison by active case finding
title_sort prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and associated factors among male prisoners in great tehran prison by active case finding
topic gonorrhea
urethritis
epidemiology
screening
chlamydia
url https://hivaids.termedia.pl/Prevalence-of-sexually-transmitted-infections-and-associated-factors-among-male-prisoners,153952,0,2.html
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