Targeted HIV prevention interventions for offenders and ex-offenders: Filling in the gaps in Central Florida

Issues: HIV is a pressing public health concern that disproportionately effects incarcerated individuals. Over 95% of these individuals will be released to communities, increasing the potential for further transmission of HIV. As such, interventions for this high-risk population are paramount.

Description: Responding to these concerns, Metro Wellness and Community Centers provided a single-session HIV prevention intervention in Central Florida prisons, juvenile justice facilities, re-entry centers and halfway houses. These sessions educated individuals at high-risk for HIV and provided information on transmission, prevention and health decision making.

Lessons Learned: 32 education interventions were administered to 632 currently incarcerated and recently released offenders. A 15-item pre-test and post-test was administered to each group of participants measuring knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention before and after the intervention. Prior to the education intervention, participants had an average score of 62%. After completing the 2-hour education intervention, participants scored an average score of 87%, which paired t-tests found to be significant. This conveyance of HIV-related education is particularly pertinent as many respondents self-identified as having multiple risk-factors including a mental health diagnosis (15%), high-risk heterosexual (64%), high-risk gay/bisexual (7%), and past or current substance abuse (27%).

Recommendations: These single-session interventions served as a feasibility project for future intervention programs. Facilities that house soon-to-be released or recently released offenders offer a unique opportunity for prevention. Our findings suggest that even a single-session intervention reduces misconceptions and may promote health behaviors, which could ultimately reduce future transmission.