title: The Effectiveness of Harm Reduction Programs in Seven Prisons of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Starting in 1990 many programs were initiated to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS in prisons in accordance with the policies of the Ministry of Health. This study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of harm reduction programs vis-à-vis drug abuse and dependency in 7 prisons in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methodology used is Before-After testing and the sample population is incarcerated prisoners in 7 large prisons in 7 provinces with diverse geographical, criminal, and numerical factors and the population sample is estimated at 2,200 inmates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings show that Drug addiction tests conducted on prisoners, right after their admittance indicated that 57% used at least one of the three drugs of morphine, amphetamines, and hashish (52% morphine, 4.5% ampheta-mines, and 3.9% hashish). Two months later, on the 2nd phase of the study, test results indicated that only 10% of subjects continued using drugs (P =0.05). Heroin and opium were the two most prevalent drugs. Smoking, oral in-take, and sniffing were the three most popular methods. Of those who continued to use drugs in prison, 95% admitted to drug use records.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intervention policies in prisons resulted in reduction of drug consumption, from 57% of the newly admitted inmates to 10% after two months of incarceration.
authors.affiliation: 1. SDH Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science (USWR) , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roshanfekr
authors.affiliation: 2. Iran Prisons Organization , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marziyeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farnia
authors.affiliation: 1. SDH Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Science (USWR) , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dejman
keywords: Addiction; Harm reduction; Iran; Prison