Characteristics and knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse associated with inmates education level within prison populations in Singkawang, West Borneo in 2006.

AIM

to identify the characteristics and knowledge of inmates within prison population in Singkawang city about HIV/AIDS and drugs associated with their education level.

METHODS

a cross-sectional study with 240 respondents was conducted in Singkawang City, West Borneo. The subjects were inmates of prison population. They were interviewed by co-assistant doctors who completed the questionnaire forms about various aspects of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drugs, including the application of standardized scales on subject characteristics. Data was prepared by using Microsoft Excel 2000 and all data were evaluated by univariate and bivariate analyses. The presentation will be shown in table.

RESULTS

at the end of 2006, 91.25% respondents were male and mostly were Malay ethnic group. Moreover, 32.08% of them had formal educational background of Senior High School. Approximately 83.33% of respondents had discovered their status of HIV/AIDS by voluntary counseling and testing (VCT). Their level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS issue particularly that AIDS is caused by HIV was 90.42%. Approximately 48.33% respondents agreed that the risk factor for drug abuse was living with a family member who had taken up smoking and alcoholic consumption.

CONCLUSION

our data indicate that higher education level has better contribution to the better knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drugs.