Who goes first? Understanding hepatitis C risk among injecting networks in the prison setting

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a blood-borne virus that is most commonly transmitted through shared injecting equipment. Due to the criminalisation of injecting drug use, HCV is highly prevalent among those incarcerated. Using a risk environment framework, this qualitative study sought to understand the role of HCV risk within injecting networks in the prison setting.

Thirty-two adult prisoners (n=24 men; n=8 women) with a history of injecting drug use participated in this qualitative sub-study. Participants were recruited across four correctional centres.

Social, economic, and environmental risk factors contributed to injecting practices within prison. Commonly, the person supplying the drugs injected first, with the person who owns the injecting equipment going next. HCV did not regularly factor into determining order of injection within networks (i.e., first, second, third), although it was reported that some prisoners claimed not to have HCV in efforts to "jump the queue".

Social, economic, and environmental risk factors contribute to negotiation of injecting order among people who inject drugs in prison. Risk of HCV exposure rarely influenced the injecting order. Harm reduction strategies should consider the social factors influencing injecting drug use in the prison setting especially to optimise the population benefits of the roll-out of highly effective HCV treatments.