A Patient Education and Counseling Prospectus on Substance Use and Infectious Disease Risk Reduction Programming for Men Exiting Prison by Torrance Stephens in GJARM- Juniper Publishers
During the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, the United States raced to incarcerate
more people than any other nation in the world. The imprisonment and
reentry system is in need of major reform. Imprisoned men and women have
high rates of chronic illnesses, infectious diseases, and substance
abuse disorders. The major infectious diseases include Human
immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS),
Hepatitis B and C, and Tuberculosis (TB), all of which can be
transferred to other inmates, and to un-incarcerated communities upon
prisoner release. Severe alcohol/drug abuse, inconsistent access to HIV
and other prevention and education services, and lack of peer-led and
culturally sensitive interventions contribute to the high rates of
disease seen in incarcerated populations. Based on a peer education
model, the authors outline a substance use and infectious disease risk
reduction program for men exiting prison, with the following overarching
goals: to develop an eight session, six month intervention that will
preserve the health status of releasees, reduce activities that promote
the spread of infectious diseases in the outside community, prevent
parole revocation or other recidivism, and improve the community
response to inmates leaving prison.
