(American Journal of Public Health) -- HIV/AIDS is a major issue in correctional facilities because prisoners are more likely to come from lower-income and minority populations disproportionately affected by the disease. Yet prisoners have historically little access to HIV prevention programs, according to a review of the issue.

For example, only two state prison systems (Mississippi and Vermont) and five city/county jail systems (New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington) make condoms available to male inmates. Public health groups, including the World Health Organization, advocate condom availability to prisoners as a step towards HIV prevention.

Some innovative HIV prevention programs do exist in selected correctional facilities, and their success should encourage policy makers to increase funding and availability for such programs, according to the review's authors. They propose such "bold and progressive risk reduction policy action" as mandatory HIV testing in state prison systems and widespread HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs for all inmates.