![]() ![]() However, it is also important for individuals at correctional facilities to be screened before they are vaccinated, to identify those who are already infected. Opt-out vaccine programming is another strategy that can help to prevent the spread of hepatitis B in correctional facilities. However, The Hepatitis B Foundation urges a recommendation for universal screening because it would allow for individuals experiencing incarceration to lower their risk of contracting hepatitis B in correctional settings. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends hepatitis B screening for all high-risk adult individuals which include people experiencing incarceration. Additionally, sterile equipment is sometimes inaccessible and sharing drug injection equipment is common in correctional facilities which contributes to an increased risk of individuals contracting hepatitis B while experiencing incarceration. 3 Because of policies in the United States criminalizing injection drug use and sex work, correctional facilities are more likely to have higher concentrations of individuals engaging in these risky behaviors. 1 Routes of transmission among incarcerated individuals include sharing needles and cookers or other injection drug paraphernalia, sharing tattoo paraphernalia, sharing razors, and having unprotected sex with someone living with hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood, semen, and other bodily fluids. The rate of HBsAg was 0.1% among men and 0.3% among women. 1 Another study in Mexico City tested over 15,500 men experiencing incarceration and almost 1,800 women experiencing incarceration and found the rate of HBcAb among men was 2.8% and among women, 3.0%. For example, a study in Iran found a prevalence of HBV DNA in incarcerated individuals at 2.1%. Researchers have conducted various studies in different countries to determine hepatitis B prevalence. 2 Of those individuals, an estimated 0.9% to 11.4% for HBsAg (active, infectious HBV) and 6.5% to 42.6% for HBcAb (ever infected) of people experiencing incarceration are living with hepatitis B. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 850,000 to 2.2 million individuals are living with hepatitis B in the United States. 1 This blog will discuss the prevalence of hepatitis B in individuals experiencing incarceration in the United States and globally, risk factors for infection, and recommendations for policymakers, public health professionals, and correctional facilities. This is due to potential increased exposure to high-risk individuals, including people who inject drugs or exchange sex for money or drugs. People experiencing incarceration in correctional facilities face a disproportionate burden of hepatitis B. ![]()
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