Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Monday, June 27, 2022
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / Health / Reducing the Number of Incarceration Days Could Curb the HIV Epidemic

Reducing the Number of Incarceration Days Could Curb the HIV Epidemic

February 10, 2016 Posted by Amelia Donovan

convict

According to a controversial new study, reducing the number of incarceration days could curb the HIV epidemic that’s now in full force.

A lot of the individuals who end up in prison remain sexually active, despite their confinement. Even though they are away from their spouses or partners, prisoners have in fact higher chances of having more sexual partners than when they were on the outside.

In light of these statistics, a new study featured in the journal of Social Science and Medicine suggests that reducing both the number of imprisoned men and their incarceration sentences could be of help in reducing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

According to the study, researchers at the University of Michigan developed a computer model that revealed a negative trend of more men being imprisoned. Moreover, the team also found that longer and harsher sentences have worse effects in the statistics.

The study was focused on men because they receive incarceration sentences more often than women – in 2009, 954 out of every 100,000 men in the U.S. was imprisoned, while only 68 out of every 100,000 women went to jail.

Researcher Dr. Andrea Knittel, from the University of California San Francisco, explained that the model shows how “mass incarceration has complicated and far-reaching unintended consequences, and may have significant public health implications.”

The team’s computer simulation was agent-based, meaning that the model creates a small community with 250 simulated people, all of whom have sexual partners and date.

First, they ran a simulation with incarceration to see the number of sexual partners among men and women alike, and then one without incarceration to check for differences.

At the same time, the team used data from other studies which suggest that imprisoned men are more likely to end up in unwanted relationships, and also become “slightly less desirable as partners.”

Results also showed that the incarceration model was responsible for a significant increase in the number of sexual partners for both men and women. This method allowed the researchers to test different theories in a sort of digital petri dish – something impossible in real life.

Even though computational models could not be fully applied in the real world, they remain “thought-provoking,” said Knittel about the procedure. The takeaway of the study is that a high rate of imprisonment impacts sexual behavior on a community-level and could contribute to sexual risk for HIV and STDs.
Image Source: Morning Advertiser

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Health

mm

About Amelia Donovan

Amelia got her feet wet in the captivating world of journalism while still in college, working as the editor of the university’s newspaper. She minored in Journalism and Mass Communication before receiving a scholarship at a prestigious German university. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, Amelia went on to pursue her biggest passions: journalism and science. She enjoys being up to date with any cutting-edge scientific advancements and her minor in biology allowed Amelia to accurately cover particularly interesting medical topics.

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • Woman working out at the gym

    Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

    Jun 29, 2018
  • Breakfast sandwich

    Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

    Jun 27, 2018
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

    Jun 25, 2018
  • The rainbow flag

    WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

    Jun 22, 2018
  • 456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

    Jun 21, 2018
  • Young woman affected by depression

    If You Have PTSD You Were Likely Abused as a Child

    Jun 19, 2018
  • Obese dog on a leash

    Obese Dogs Can Help Us Better Understand How Obesity Works

    Jun 18, 2018
  • Our Brains Are Craving Combinations of Fats and Carbs (Study)

    Jun 15, 2018
  • Hungry bird with beck open

    Scientists Explain Why We Get ‘Hangry’

    Jun 13, 2018

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2022 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact