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The purpose of this paper is to determine patterns of sexual behaviors and related factors among prisoners in Iran, 2015.

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.

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).

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.

The aim of present study was to integrate vital noncommunicable diseases (coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and mental health disorders) into Prison-Based Active Health Services Provision (PAHSP).

On Jan 1, 2018, there were 230,000 prisoners in Iran. Timely and systematic detection and diagnosis of chronic health conditions among this population are imperative. The collaboration between healthcare providers in prison and members of the multidisciplinary team of the healthcare community outside prison initiated an active health service provision approach for HIV and tuberculosis (TB). Guidelines for the control of HIV and TB in prison were piloted, and the finalized version was named “Prison-based Active Health Services Provision” (PAHSP), which has been scaled up in 16 of 260 Iranian prisons.

The PAHSP approach emphasizes the importance of early identification of key symptoms and risk factors. This approach provides an opportunity for improved prevention and treatment, enabling prisoners identified at risk or those who have been diagnosed with a target disease to be followed up and receive the appropriate health care.

Initiatives such as screening for chronic health conditions coupled with treatment will reduce the burden of chronic illness among prisoners and the broader community, thereby saving on healthcare costs and lives.