HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes and Personal Risk in the Scottish Prison Service: A Summary of Recent Research

• NCJ Number: 156763
• Author(s): K G Power; I Markova; A Rowlands
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 59 pages
• Corporate Author: Scottish Prison Service
• Sale Source: Scottish Prison Service
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Scottish Prison Service Occasional Paper No. 1/1994.

Annotation

A survey of 559 inmates in eight prisons in Scotland formed the basis of an analysis of the knowledge and attitudes of inmates and staff about HIV and AIDS, as well as HIV infection and AIDS risk-taking behavior.

Abstract

Results revealed that more prisoners injected drugs prior to imprisonment (27.5 percent) than during imprisonment (7.7 percent). Prior to imprisonment, most inmates regularly had vaginal intercourse without ever using condoms. Prisoners were generally knowledgeable about high- risk modes of HIV transmission and prevention. Most inmates favored videos and group discussions as educational methods, rather than formal lectures or the provision of literature. Correctional personnel had high levels of knowledge regarding HIV and AIDS transmission, but had more negative attitudes about social and personal distance with seropositive prisoners. Staff are concerned about HIV transmission during resuscitation, inmate searches, cell searches, inmate self-injury, and bodily fluid assaults by HIV seropositive inmates. Additional findings, figures, and 22 references