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DRUG USE IN PRISON: THE ROLE OF PEER EDUCATORS (8 YEARS OF INTERVENTION IN A PORTUGUESE PRISON SETTING) Nisa, A.*, Carvalho, H*#, Castro, D *., Carvalhinho, S.* 25 October , 2017 Lisbon Addictions 2017 *APDES #RECI. Summary.

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  1. DRUG USE IN PRISON: THE ROLE OF PEER EDUCATORS (8 YEARS OF INTERVENTION IN A PORTUGUESE PRISON SETTING) Nisa, A.*, Carvalho, H*#, Castro, D*., Carvalhinho, S.* 25 October, 2017 LisbonAddictions 2017 *APDES #RECI

  2. Summary • This communication focuses on the intervention of APDES developed in the Prison of Guarda between 2008 and 2016,co-financedbySICAD,in particular regarding the conception and implementation of the Peer Education methodology adapted to the Portuguese prison context.

  3. Methodology • The methodology used came from the results of a pilot intervention (2008-2010) that contemplated several stages of development: • Diagnosis • Methodological design • Implementation • Evaluation

  4. Peer Education in Prison Context • Dynamic process that occurs over a period of time • Individuals develop informal or organized educational activities • With the aim of developing knowledge, attitudes and skills in their peers • Empower them to protect their health and the communities where they are

  5. Advantages • Peers have an understanding of group norms and values • Knowledge/life experience allows peers to build relationships with acceptance and credibility • Facilitates access to hidden populations • Peers know their culture (territory, changes) being able to provide up-to-date information • Facilitates communication on more sensitive issues • Facilitates behavioral change, given the regularity of the messages and the relations of proximity

  6. Advantages Peer Educators work helps in implementing of health promotion strategies, namely prevention and promotion of lower risk behaviors, resulting in a consequent decrease in the incidence rates of infectious diseases and drug abuse.

  7. Role of Peer Educators • Provide harm reduction materials • Disseminate harm reduction strategies, references of other services and information • Facilitate the contact between drug users and technical teams • Participate in project design and evaluation • Make records on the services provided during field work • Share up-to-date information on drug use, consumer trends; field changes, new prisoners, … • Participate in team meetings and formative moments

  8. Peer Education Training Planning and articulation with the professionals and the Prison Direction Organization of the training sessions Recruitment and selection Training Evaluation

  9. Peer Educators Training Module 1 - Health promotion in prisons- Infectious Diseases, Sexual Health, Piercing & TattooModule 2 - Prevention of Drug use- Psychoactive Substances and HR I, Psychoactive Substances and HR II, Prevention of overdosesModule 3 - Peer Education and Citizenship- Peer Education I, Peer Education II, Project conception, implementation and evaluationModule 4 - Promotion of physical and psychological well-being- Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Healthy LifestylesModule 5 - Peer intervention in prison context- Pratical part

  10. Monitoring and evaluation • Continuity of training through practical strategies based on real situations • With the beginning of the practical activity many questions arise regarding the action, the role and tasks of PE • PE activity is monitored and supervised weekly in group meeting sessions with the supervisor, with discussion of cases • Suggestion of strategies that allow PE to deal with the obstacles they face • Consolidation of identity Peer Educators in prison context

  11. Monitoring and evaluation At the weekly meetings, through the sharing of cases and difficulties, and the support given by supervision, it is possible to consolidate attitudes and behaviors progressively more adapted to the expected role of the Peer Educator.

  12. Results Peer educators establish about 4 contacts with each peer and address a number of topics. The most commonly topics are emotional support, infectious diseases, tattoos and piercings, and drug-related topics and over-medication.

  13. Results • Through peer education, skills have been developed to: • decision-making and problem-solving • creation of mechanisms to deal with feelings associated with the situation of imprisonment • improvement of the knowledge in several themes, promoting health in a prison context through the adoption of lower risk practices at various levels (drugs, tattoos, sex,…) • improvement of the capacity of communication and face adversities and conflict management • development of group work skills • increased participation in the public space • Peer educators have made a unique contribution to the dissemination of health promotion strategies, namely in promoting lower risk behaviors

  14. Peer Education Manual for health promotion in prisons • texto • Developed as part of the Prevention Project [2014 – 2016] • Promoted by APDES e co-financed by SICAD.

  15. Contact: andreia.nisa@apdes.pt

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