HepC and Incarceration

The epidemics of hepatitis C disease and incarceration intersect. About one in three persons with hepatitis C viremia in the US spends time in jail or prison for part of the year.¹ In 2005, mortality among justice populations from hepatitis C began surpassing that for HIV. Prevalence of hepatitis C in this setting has not been letting up. Without attention to the corrections portion of the US hepatitis C epidemic, disease elimination will be elusive.

HepCorrections represents a collaboration of academics, public health practitioners and advocates interested in the elimination of hepatitis C disease in the United States. The goal of this website is to provide “best estimates” of hepatitis C in key populations of the United States, starting with the most current estimates of the prevalence of hepatitis C antibody positivity among persons serving time in state prison systems.  We intend to  improve the accuracy and reliability of the estimated numbers as more data become available.  Please contact us if you have data that can be added to our effort.