The Effectiveness of Peer HIV Education for Male Inmates Entering State Prison

Abstract

Prisons and jails present an opportunity for HIV education because at-risk individuals who are underserved with HIV education and prevention services in the community are concentrated there. To be effective in changing risk behavior, however, HIV education within prisons must be appropriate and accessible to inmates, the majority of whom are members of ethnic minority groups. The purpose of this study was to describe the HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of inmates entering a large state prison, and to evaluate the effectiveness of an HIV prevention intervention conducted by an HIV+ inmate peer educator compared to an intervention conducted by a professional HIV educator. The intervention was designed to educate inmates entering the prison about how the virus is transmitted and how infection can be prevented. Overall 2,295 male inmates participated in the evaluation. The two intervention groups had similar outcomes, both outperforming the no intervention group in intention to use condoms and to be tested for HIV. There was also a significant difference between the intervention groups and the no intervention group in their perception of risk. Inmate preference overwhelmingly favored HIV+ peer educators over other types of educators.