AEGiS-14IAC: An employee assistance program (EAP) for drug abuse and sexual behavior at the penitentiary system of Rio de Janeiro

AEGiS-14IAC: An employee assistance program (EAP) for drug abuse and sexual behavior at the penitentiary system of Rio de Janeiro - Brazi.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

An employee assistance program (EAP) for drug abuse and sexual behavior at the penitentiary system of Rio de Janeiro - Brazi.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. WeOrE1325)

Saad AC, Dantas R, Poubel L, Carvalho ML, Quitete B, Veiga LP, Fialho J, Biondi EJ
Desipe, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND: The Penitentiary System of Rio de Janeiro has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for most medical specialties. After treating Penitentiary Workers for more than 4 years we realized there was a specific demanding for this population which was stress management and substance abuse problems.

METHODS: In January 2000 we started a substance abuse/dependence outpatient program for the penitentiary workers which included not only drug problems but sexual behavior as well. Our goal was to reduce drug use (abstinence, if possible) and to increase safe sex behavior, for approximately 90% of this population never use condoms in an intercourse. The patients had medical, social and psychological assistance once a week.

RESULTS: From January 2000 to May 2001 we had 32 patients. Most of them were male (66%); 41 years old the average; alcohol is the drug most frequently used and gonorrhea the most frequent STD. We had one patient coming for alcohol treatment who tested positive for HIV during his treatment at the program. 25% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis being 31% stress related; 59% were no longer working with prisoners being now at an administrative function. 56% stayed more than 4 months at treatment.

CONCLUSION: The challenge was to motivate people to talk about their problems and receive specific help; they had to come to the program despite cultural, personal and peers' prejudice, what makes our sample to be considered a good one. Talking about drugs and sex is a hard thing for a Latin country. Stress management was part of our focus because the patients' kind of work: constantly confronted with corruption, prisoners, low payment and to diminish their anxiety they self medicate with drugs increasing the risk for STD/AIDS. Even though there are more workers who need help for these matters, coming to assistance is still a problem. We need to work harder on the information of the program so other employees can benefitiate from treatment.

Keywords: AEGIS, Sex Behavior, Occupational Health Services, Substance-Related Disorders, Prisons, Prisoners, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Coitus, Mental Disorders, Male, Human

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