Florida Prison Officials ‘Reluctant’ to Test Inmates for HIV, Cite High Cost of Treatment
Although health officials recognize jails as "breeding grounds" for HIV/AIDS, Florida prison officials are "reluctant" to test inmates for the disease and do not distribute condoms to prevent its transmission, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. Prison officials say that the cost of providing HIV treatment to inmates is prohibitive, with the corrections system only providing HIV testing if an inmate is ill or asks for a test. Nationally, about 17% of HIV-positive people were in correctional facilities last year, according to the CDC (Singer/Allen, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/13). The full article on HIV in Florida's prisons and jails is available online.
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