Although it is true that inmates in U.S. prisons are experiencing high rates of HIV disease, it also is true that incarceration affords a meaningful opportunity to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through education. Consequently, providing effective education programs for inmates is an important corrections and public health concern. In an attempt to assess our current efforts in this area, a survey of all 50 state departments of corrections was conducted. As part of that survey, descriptions of inmate AIDS education programs were obtained from 27 states. These programs were analyzed using themes garnered from a variety of published recommendations concerning effective AIDS education. The results of the content analysis for the 27 descriptions were then specifically compared with the National Commission on AIDS recommendations for AIDS education programs for inmates.
Prisons and other correctional environments are in many ways optimal settings for the development, delivery, and study of AIDS education and prevention programs. Prior research has shown such programs to be widespread, but little is known about their impact. This article presents findings from a recent nationwide survey of AIDS education efforts in U.S. prisons. Results (a) provide baseline information about major program variations that evaluators must take into account and (b) serve as a catalyst for discussion of the types of questions that require their attention.
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