STIs AMONG PRISONERS IN UNITED STATES

There are many sexually transmitted diseases in existence that most go unnoticed in prison set up. Sexually transmitted infections include bacterial vaginosis, gonorrhea, hepatitis, epididymitis, HIV, genital warts and many others. The sexually transmitted diseases have various common and distinct signs and symptoms. The common signs and symptoms include lumps in the genitals, unusual discharge from the vagina and penis, rash, bleeding, itchiness, blisters or sores on the genitals (Bivens 3). Some sexually transmitted infections like HIV bear no signs and symptoms: can only be tested. According to Wiehe (2015), the risk factors that result to the increased rate of sexual disease in prisons are highly risky sexual behaviors such as multiple sexual partners, sex for certain favors and unprotected sex (Wiehe 26). The fundamental rationale for the experiment was the approximate the rates of sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea amongst arrested and incarcerated prisoners.

The investigation was conducted amongst prisoners following arrests and those in incarcerations in Indianapolis. The study involved approximately two hundred and forty-seven thousand subjects in jails, prisons and juvenile detention from the year 2003 to 2008. The results illustrated a tremendous yearly increase in the rate of infections with the most prevalent disease being Chlamydia, followed by gonorrhea and the least was syphilis. Puberty women are more likely to contract STD infections compared to male individuals (Legato 966). Secondly, the use of intravenous drugs amongst prisoners results in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Drug users are highly and exceedingly represented in prison correctional facilities. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime approximates intravenous drug users in North America as nearly 4 percent ("World Drug Report 2015").

The use of drug syringe is correlated to critical sexual infections such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS. The study also illustrates that the inter-cell transfer of inmates from one section to another section within the same prison results to the high susceptibility of syphilis transmission. The chief rationale for the research was to analyze the risk factors for syphilis infection in the Alabama State men’s prison and the respective outline of spread. The study involved the examination and analysis of prisoners transfer and medical records, interview syphilis victims and documented sexual networks. The vital hypothetic sources were scrutinized and odds critically exposed. The results findings showed thirty-nine syphilis cases of long contracted syphilis was identified while the prison transfers were identified as the critical source of contraction.

The race segregation in prisons is based on the chronological slavery practice (Spiegel 49). The primary role of environmental factors race and ethnic segregation correlate to the social structure of race and racism that are individually internalized, comprehended and institutionalized by an individual. The decision of one involving into risky behavioral aspects is an interpersonal act that is blended with voluntary choices. The individual determinant is dependent on the individual’s intrinsic personality. A significant number of inmates in the United States prisons are made of African American individuals (Rowell et al. Timely treatment prevent late critical disparities (Rodriguez 1779) Socioeconomic status is accountable for the riskiest sexual behaviors in prison. The level of poverty as at its peak in the prisons: no employment, people work with no pay.

Low socioeconomic status is responsible for a significant number of prisoners, especially from the African American Community. The institutionalized ethnic discrimination and separation strengthen low economic status in the African American society. The individuals resort to easy unlawful acts to acquire small amounts of money as their source of livelihood. The probability of high transmission rate is higher amongst sexual partners who are very close to one another. Individuals residing within an intimate functional closeness are more likely to establish various social relationships. The concept of social proximity is exclusively illustrated when the syphilis contraction is highly facilitated by the prisoners’ migration in the Alabama prison study. The individual state of mind plays a crucial role as a core determinant of the risk factors.

Prison is one of the crudest and sick places in the world. The interventions should be made compulsory for those infected and non-infected inmates to educate every person regardless of their ethnicity or social status. The basic strategy that can help discourage drug addicts from needle sharing is using the concept of STD acquisition as the prime driver. Naturally, human beings are responding positively by avoiding deeds that can cause sexual sicknesses. The health departments in the prison sectors should improve and install reliable systems to facilitate the screening of inmates during their entry level. The infected inmates should be confined within a given period until certified by medical expertise that they are fit to socially relate to another inmate. " American Journal of Public Health, vol.

96, no. 10, 2006, pp. ProQuest, https://search. proquest. C. , & Bauer, D. J. Sexual and drug behavior patterns and HIV and STD racial disparities: The need for new directions.  American Journal of Public Health, 97(1), 125-32. Retrieved from https://search. proquest. com/docview/215084233?accountid=45049 Legato, Marianne J.  Principles Of Gender-Specific Medicine. Academic Press, 2004. ebscohost. com%2flogin. aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26db%3dbth%26AN%3d95404407%26site%3deds-live. Rabuy, Bernadette, and Daniel Kopf. "Prisons Of Poverty: Uncovering The Pre-Incarceration Incomes Of The Imprisoned". , Chen, J. , PhD. , Owusu-Edusei, K. , Suh, A. , M. com/docview/1045917136?accountid=45049 Rowell, Tawandra L. , et al. "Predictors of Drug Use in Prison among Incarcerated Black Men. " American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, vol. 38, no. 1371/journal. pone. Spiegel, Sarah. "Prison 'Race Riots': An Easy Case for Segregation?.