HIV-related risk behaviors among male inmates of Tehran, Iran

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the frequencies and types of HIV-related risk behavior among inmates of Tehran, Iran. MethodsWe used active case finding to assess the prevalence of HIV high risk behaviors. The research was conducted on male prisoners in the Great Tehran Prison from October 2013 to May 2014. ResultsTwo thousand and fifty (19.5%) from 10 492 prisoners who were admitted to “quarantine” of the prison participated in HIV testing and counseling. Of 2 050 inmates, our results showed that sexual encounters were the most prevalent risky behavior (89.6%) reported by the prisoners, followed by tattooing (34.7%) and injection drug use (24.2%). ConclusionsAlthough the previous studies reported that the main leading cause of acquiring HIV infection in Iranian prisons was injecting drug use, the prevalence of injecting drug use was less than the prevalence of unsafe sexual relationships and tattooing in the present research among the inmates of Tehran.