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Executive Summary, Hepatitis C in Prisons |
Presented to the Joint Interim Committee on Health and Human Services
by Phyllis Beck, Director of the Hepatitis C Awareness Project
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Issue:
Nationally it is estimated that between 25% to 40% of inmates incarcerated in state prison settings are infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis C kills 10,000 Americans annually and the death toll is expected to triple by 2010. About 85% of those infected with the liver disease will suffer a chronic infection. Approximately 20% to 30% will develop Cirrhosis. Hepatitis C is the leading indication for liver transplants in the nation.
Problem:
Public health experts agree that hepatitis C is at or near epidemic proportions in our state prison settings. Many inmates claim that little has been done to address the hepatitis C epidemic in the Oregon State prison system. High numbers of inmates entering the system are infected with Hepatitis C. Many of these inmates are infected and do not even know it. The risk of transmission within this population is very high. Once released, inmates may unknowingly spread this virus to family members and friends.
Solution:
The Department of Corrections at the direction of legislature should develop a comprehensive hepatitis C disease state management program for inmates and staff within the state prison system. The program should include voluntary testing, ongoing educational information about the disease and its infectious nature, inmate counseling and access to appropriate treatment for hepatitis C.
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