Incarceration History and HIV Care Among Individuals Living with HIV in Florida, 2014–2018

The present study examines the HIV continuum of care outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH) who have either recent (< 12-months) or distal (> 12-months) incarceration history compared to those without an incarceration history. A self-administered survey (as part of the Florida Cohort Study (n = 932)) was used to collect data on demographic information, linkage to care, retention in care, HIV medication adherence, viral suppression, and incarceration history. Those with recent incarceration history were least likely to report HIV medication adherence greater than or equal to 95% of the time (χ2 = 8.79; p = 0.0124), always take their medications as directed (χ2 = 15.29; p = 0.0005), and to have durable viral suppression (χ2 = 16.65; p = 0.0002) compared to those distally or never incarcerated. In multivariable analyses, those never and distally incarcerated had greater odds of care linkage ([vs recently incarcerated] AOR = 2.58; CI: 1.31, 5.07; p = 0.0063, AOR = 2.09; CI: 1.11, 3.95; p = 0.0228, respectively). Those never incarcerated had greater odds of taking ART as directed ([vs recently incarcerated] AOR = 2.53; CI: 1.23 – 5.19; p = 0.0116). PLWH with an incarceration history may need more on-going monitoring and follow-up HIV care than those without previous incarceration regardless of when incarceration occurred.