Although vaccination is used to control HBV among prisoners, prevalence of HCV exposure is alarming in the prison population of Iran, especially among people who inject drugs. Eliminating viral hepatitis in Iran by 2030 requires a national commitment and rapid measures for targeting this high-risk group. Given the increased efficiency of HCV treatment in recent years, prisons provide an opportunity to access patients for treatment.

Background: People in prisons are at high risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HBV and HCV exposure and associated risk factors in Iranian prisons. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016, among 29 prisons in Iran, blood samples were collected using multistage sampling. HBV and HCV diagnostic tests were conducted using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for the evaluation of factors associated with HBV and HCV exposure. Results: Among 6,481 people in prisons, the prevalence of HCV and HBV antibodies were 8.21% (95% CI: 7.55 -8.90) and 3.06% (95% CI: 2.65 -3.50), respectively. Based on multivariate analysis, the most important risks associated for HCV exposure were the history of drug use (AOR 5.75, 95% CI 3.54 -9.35) followed by the age of 30 years and older (AOR: 5.02, 95% CI: 3.65 -6.9), the history of tattooing (AOR 2.42, 95% CI 1.96 -3), the history of imprisonment (AOR 2.23, 95%CI 1.76 -2.82), being single (AOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.54 -2.37), low education (AOR 1.81, 95%CI 1.01 -3.27), and the history of piercing (AOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04 -1.52). There was no significant association between HBV prevalence and independent variables (P > 0.05). Conclusions: These findings highlight a high prevalence of HCV infection in Iranian prisons. Efforts are needed to improve HCV screening and interventions, particularly among people with a history of drug use, and linkage to care.

Rising mortality rate due to Corona virus (COVID-19) has raised anxiety and panic among the Iranian community. This reaction to COVID-19 may cause harm to people and even lead to some implications which raise more concerns than the Coronavirus itself. Previous research has shown that receiving this stimulating news has the same effect as posttraumatic stress and depression. →What this article adds:This study showed that perceived stress due to COVID-19 in Iranian society was slightly high and receiving news and information from social networks has an impact on increasing perceived stress in the community.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine patterns of sexual behaviors and related factors among prisoners in Iran, 2015. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study was a part of a bio-behavioral surveillance survey conducted on 6,200 prisoners in 26 prisons in Iran. The subjects were selected through multi-stage sampling. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data on participant’s demographics and history of sexual behaviors. Using STATA-12 software, the collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and crude and adjusted logistic regression. Findings A total of 5,508 prisoners with a response rate of 88.8 percent participated in this study. Of all prisoners, 55 percent (n=3,027) had a history of “unsafe sex in the lifetime” of whom 53.4 percent (n=1,549) never used condoms during unsafe sex in the lifetime. Based on the results of multivariate analysis, risk factors for “unsafe sex in lifetime” were the following: higher level of education (AOR=1.79, CI: 1.41–2.28), being single (AOR=1.32, CI: 1.18–1.47), unemployed before imprisonment (AOR=1.45, CI: 1.06–1.97), having history of previous imprisonment (AOR=1.31, CI: 1.17–1.47) and history of drug use in the lifetime (AOR=1.53, CI: 1.35–1.75). Originality/value Prisoners are high-risk groups that are prone to practice unsafe sex. Prisoners who are single, unemployed before imprisonment, a drug user, with a higher level of education and with a history of imprisonment are likely to be sexually active in their lifetime. Thus, they are a priority for receiving suitable interventions.