The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68133

Jennifer S. Bard, JD/MPH, Institute for the Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1311, 409-772-9394, jsbard@utmb.edu

“Hepatitis C Infection (“HCV”) is the most common blood borne infection in the United States. The prevalence of HCV infection among US prisoners is at least ten-fold higher than that in the general population and for women prisoners, who are often incarcerated for crimes related to sex and/or drugs, the rate of HCV is even higher than in men,” (HEPP Report, vol. 5, Aug./Sept. 2002). The CDC recently issued guidelines for treatment of HCV in the prison population. The recommended anti-retroviral treatment is expensive and complex. There are substantial ethical issues inherent in decisions to treat HCV. Because of lack of resources allocated to for HCV, most prisons do not screen for HCV even though their populations are at high risk. When HCV is discovered, physicians often decide not to begin treatment if the inmate’s sentence is not long enough for a full course of drug therapy. This is particularly discriminatory to women who often have shorter sentences than men.

HCV has been found to increase rates of neurological impairment causing memory lapses, thought disorders, and mood disorders. Given the already high rate of depression and PTSD among incarcerated women, there is an intense need to include often lacking mental health treatment. Women’s health advocates must have a clear understanding of the special vulnerability of women inmates to HCV and must support policy on a state and national level to provide adequate treatment.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. 2. Describe the
     3. information, skills, behaviors, or perspectives participants in the
     4. session will acquire through attendance and participation.

• Participants will acquire the information necessary to make

• informed judgments on policy decisions about treating women inmates with HCV.

• 1. 3. Clearly identify the
     4. outcomes or actions participants can expect to demonstrate as a result of
     5. the educational experiences.

• Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of

• the medical, legal, social, and ethical issues inherent in screening for and
• treating the mental and physical manifestation of HCV in women inmates.

• 1. 4. Write the learning
     5. objectives that relate to these outcomes and that reflect the content of
     6. the session.

• style='mso-list:Ignore'>A.    

• Describe CDC guidelines for treatment of Hepatitis C
• Infection ("HCV") in a prison population.

• style='mso-list:Ignore'>B.    

• Appreciate the medical, legal, social and ethical
• issues inherent in policy decisions about treating women inmates with HCV.

• style='mso-list:Ignore'>C.    

• Describe the special vulnerability of women inmates to
• HCV.

• style='mso-list:Ignore'>D.    

• Articulate appropriate standards of screening for and
• treating the mental and physical manifestations of HCV in women inmates.

•  

Keywords: Access and Services, Correctional Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.