1. Nisa, A.*, Carvalho, H*#, Castro, D*., Carvalhinho, S.*
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

2. Summary
This communication focuses on the intervention of APDES developed in the Prison of Guarda between 2008 and 2016, co-financed by SICAD, 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 ( ) 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
The tasks of the peer educators should be adapted through the needs of the community

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 & Tattoo Module 2 - Prevention of Drug use - Psychoactive Substances and HR I, Psychoactive Substances and HR II, Prevention of overdoses Module 3 - Peer Education and Citizenship - Peer Education I, Peer Education II, Project conception, implementation and evaluation Module 4 - Promotion of physical and psychological well-being - Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and Healthy Lifestyles Module 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 Contacted Peers 2010-2012 16 53 2015-2017 20 97
2016 12 54
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