Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34134657›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021

Viral hepatitis in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia 2003-2017.

Richard P Sullivan, Rob Baird, Kevin Freeman, Hugh Heggie, Joshua S Davis, Catherine S Marshall, Jane Davies

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Health and incarceration research in Australia: a scoping review.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Richard P SullivanCharles Darwin University, Menzies School of Health Research, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia. richie.sullivan@menzies.edu.au.
Rob BairdDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Kevin FreemanTerritory Pathology, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Hugh HeggieNorthern Territory Department of Health, Northern Territory, Casuarina, Australia.
Joshua S DavisCharles Darwin University, Menzies School of Health Research, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Catherine S MarshallDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Jane DaviesCharles Darwin University, Menzies School of Health Research, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
Royal Darwin Hospital · AUJohn Hunter Hospital · AUMenzies School of Health Research · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe demographic of Northern Territory prison population differs than elsewhere in Australia and the prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C may therefore be somewhat different from other jurisdictions. There has been no study which has specifically described the serological results of a large proportion of prisoners in Northern Territory correctional facilities over an extended period of time.

methodsThis retrospective longitudinal study reviewed serological results and testing rates for hepatitis B, and hepatitis C performed in correctional facilities in the Northern Territory of Australia between July 1st, 2003 and June 30th, 2017.

resultsThe proportion of positive records over 14 years for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 641/12,066 (5.3, 95% CI 4.9-5.7), for hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) 4937/12,138 (40.1, 95%CI 39.8-41.6), for hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) 6966/13,303 (52.4, 95% CI 51.5-53.2), and for hepatitis C antibody 569/12,153 (4.7, 95% CI 4.3-5.1). The proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C has decreased since 2015, while a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B.

conclusionThere is a relatively high proportion of positive serological markers of hepatitis B, and a lower proportion of positive hepatitis C serology in the Northern Territory's correctional facilities compared to overall Australian rates. As the proportion of prisoners tested for hepatitis B and C has decreased recently, and a high proportion of prisoners remain non-immune to hepatitis B, there are opportunities to increase testing and vaccination rates in this population.

Indexed as

AdultBiomarkersCorrectional FacilitiesDatabases, FactualFemaleHepatitis BHepatitis B AntibodiesHepatitis B Surface AntigensHepatitis CHepatitis C AntibodiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedNorthern TerritoryPrevalenceBiomarkersHepatitis B AntibodiesHepatitis B Surface AntigensHepatitis C AntibodiesHepatitis BHepatitis CNorthern TerritoryPrisoner health

Identifiers

PMID34134657
PMCPMC8210364
OpenAlexW3166778112

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.