Reducing the rates of HIV in upstate New York prisons among African American male inmates: The role of public health social workers

Although the rates of HIV in New York have declined in recent years there has been a 42% increase in reported cases between 2000 and 2001 in Onondaga County (the years for which the most recent data exist), with the largest increase among people of color. Fourteen formerly incarcerated African American male inmates participated in three focus groups to discuss their views on the reasons for the rising HIV rates in Onondaga County and the roles that prison and other public health social workers should take to help eliminate the spread of HIV in upstate New York African American communities. The following themes emerged from the focus groups analysis: 1) knowledge of HIV, 2) the use of condoms and other birth-control devices, 3) health insurance coverage, 4) sex and drug-use practices, 5) the role of the criminal justice system in perpetuating the spread of HIV, 6) the need to target younger children for HIV and sex education, and 7.) the need for public health social workers to advocate for HIV prevention strategies in jails/prisons and schools. While this was a small exploratory study and was not intended for generalizations, provided a unique opportunity to learn more of the concerns formerly incarcerated African American males expressed concerning HIV which has not been addressed in the social work literature.