Risk behaviour and HIV infection in European prisons

Identifying the prevalence of diseases and related risk behaviour is necessary for the implementation of appropriate prevention programmes. Although the routes of HIV transmission have been clearly identified, social, economic and psychosocial risk factors associated with HIV transmission are not well understood and change over time. Imprisonment has often been identified as a risk factor for HIV infection (Bird et al., 1995; Gore et al., 1997; Rotily et al., 1994; Malliori et al., 1998).