The knowledge survey of intended to prisoners about HIV/AIDS in Turkey

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge of prisoners about HIV/AIDS.
Materials and methods: In this study, 40 indepth interview and 20 focus group was performed in 10 prisons at four states in Turkey. Each focus group was contain eight prisoners. 20-34 and 35-50 ages, volunteers, not isolated, not trained about HIV/AIDS, at least two years located in the same prison, at least two years evacuation, be dominant, be visited often, be lovable than other prisoners were included to study. Because of specials of this groups, researchers did not get audio record. Take notes was analysed with thematic coding methods by researchers according to ethical.
Results: Prisoners didn’t know cause of disease, define contamination path. Definitions were “dangerous”, “fatal”, “communicable”, “terminal disease”, “bad”, and “transmitted by female sex workers”. Prisoners did not have knowledge on the diffence between HIV and AIDS. The transmission ways of the disease were known in all interviews. The most mention issue was unsafe sex. The foreing national females were argued to be responsible for the transmission and in most of the interviews man with man-sex was also thought to be responsible. Knowledge on transmission from mother-to-baby and knowledge on common use of personal belongings, toilet, equipment in the barbers, in kitchen, and kissing, clasping were not enough. Misinformation on the tranmission ways were discussed.
Conclusion: Prisoners, risk group for HIV/AIDS don’t know the transmission ways of the disease. Personal belongings and injectors shouldn’t be used commonly. The knowledge on the matter was not enough. There is a need for training interventions for prisoners to access the true information.
Key words: HIV/AIDS, Prison, Prisoner