Table 1 Characteristics of the Re-HCV study participants (N = 422)** at study inclusion.

From: Incidence and molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C virus reinfection in prisons in Catalonia, Spain (Re-HCV study)

Characteristics

Reinfection follow-up group (n = 97) n (%)

Viremic group (n = 334) n (%)

Age, median (range)

44 (30–59)

41 (26–57)

Gender

 Male

86 (88.7)

311 (93.1)

 Female

10 (10.3)

23 (6.9)

Foreign origin

28 (28.9)

153 (46.1)

HIV infection

23 (23.7)

103 (30.8)

Psychiatric disorder

24 (24.7)

76 (23.0)

Educational attainment > primary

56 (63.6)

201 (60.7)

Homeless during the 6 months before incarceration

53 (58.2)

61 (18.5)

Previously incarcerated

77 (86.5)

250 (75.3)

Sexual orientation

 Heterosexual

85 (95.5)

319 (96.1)

Homosexual

1 (1.1)

5 (1.5)

 Bisexual

3 (3.4)

8 (2.4)

Intravenous drug use at least once during live

74 (82.2)

283 (84.7)

Intravenous drug use in prison

80 (28.3)

Intravenous drug use during hepatitis C treatment

30 (31.3)

Intravenous drug use during hepatitis C treatment while in prison

12 (40.0)

Sharing of needles*

16 (16.7)

140 (41.9)

Sharing of needles in prison*

9 (56.3)

46 (33.6)

Sharing of syringes*

17 (17.9)

145 (43.5)

Sharing of syringes in prison*

10 (55.6)

45 (32.4)

Sharing of other injection equipment*

19 (19.8)

169 (50.6)

Sharing of other injection equipment in prison*

9 (47.7)

47 (28.5)

Practicing front-backloading*

11 (11.5)

102 (30.5)

Practicing front-backloading in prison*

5 (45.5)

27 (27.6)

Sharing drugs already prepared to inject*

17 (17.7)

174 (52.3)

Sharing drugs already prepared to inject in prison*

9 (52.9)

45 (26.5)

Cocaine snorting*

45 (46.9)

288 (86.2)

Cocaine snorting in prison*

28 (65.1)

117 (41.2)

Sharing cocaine snorting straw*

34 (35.8)

215 (64.8)

Sharing cocaine snorting straw in prison*

20 (60.6)

89 (42.0)

Piercing or tattooing*

33 (34.4)

250 (74.9)

Piercing or tattooing in prison*

18 (54.4)

119 (48.0)

Unprotected sex*

21 (21.9)

165 (49.4)

Unprotected sex in prison*

5 (23.8)

26 (16.0)

Currently in treatment for drug addiction*

62 (64.6)

164 (49.2)

Released, on prison furlough, or released under surveillance during the present sentence*

23 (24.2)

33 (9.9)

  1. *These questions referred to the hepatitis C treatment period for the reinfection follow-up group, and to at any time in life for the viremic group.
  2. **Nine individuals of the viremic group were candidates to be subsequently included in the reinfection follow-up group after treatment and SVR achievement.