AIDS Education in the Jail Setting

Abstract

This article describes some of the obstacles to and advantages of providing effective human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) education programs in jails. The description is based on a six-module, multisession program directed to injection drug users in the Maricopa County (Phoenix, AZ) jail as part of a large research and demonstration project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Some preliminary analyses of longitudinal data from Phoenix are presented. The results suggest that an evaluation of jail-based education focusing on safer needle usage and sex practices must be very thoughtfully designed and implemented.