14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. WeOrE1323)

Paul C, Gupta SD, Sharma S, Deb M
Tribal Development Society, Tirukalukundram, India

BACKGROUND: HIV has consistently been higher among prisoners than general public. Injecting drug use is the main route for HIV infection in the prisons, The aim of this study is to determine the awareness, risk perception and risk taking behaviour of prisoners who use drugs and to implement effective health education programmes in the prisons.

METHOD: Qualitative data collected using key informant interviews, Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Out of 724 inmates of 5 prisons of Eastern region of Nepal, which consists 16 districts, 160 inmates participated in 19 focus groups and 95 inmates participated in in-depth interviews.

RESULTS: In-depth Interviews revealed 28% of the participants were drug users with median age of 24. Median of drug use starting age was 21 (range 13-34). Median number of years drug use was 5 (range 1- 14 years). 37% completed high school and 33% dropped out of school. 71% of the drug users consumed oral and intravenous drugs and 75% of them always-shared needles. 38% of them said they had casual partners and 30% had frequent visits to sex workers. None of them ever used condoms. Only 14% perceived that they might have HIV. Awareness on HIV/AIDS was very limited with many misconceptions. Drug use and male-to-male sex is not openly discussed but "happens".

CONCLUSION: This study shows a rather high rate of risk behaviours and low level of knowledge. These necessitate availability of HIV testing, as well as the implementation of education and risk reduction programmes in the prisons

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WeOrE1323

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