Up to 9 percent of New York City jail entrants are HIV positive and almost 30 percent of them go undiagnosed, according a study published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAIDS). For the study, researchers looking for ways to improve services to New York City jail entrants tested samples from routine syphilis tests saved for blinded HIV screening. They found that among those entering jail, 68.9 percent were tested for HIV and HIV prevalence was 5.2 percent. Also, 28.1 percent of inmates were undiagnosed at intake, and only 11.5 percent of those were then diagnosed through routine jail testing. Of those undiagnosed cases, only 11.1 percent identified with recognized HIV risk factors like being an injection drug user or a man who has sex with men.

To read the JAIDS study, click here.