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Health Education Research Advance Access originally published online on July 4, 2005
Health Education Research 2006 21(1):55-65; doi:10.1093/her/cyh041
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Using focus groups to investigate the educational needs of female injecting heroin users in Taiwan in relation to HIV/AIDS prevention

Tony Szu-Hsien Lee1,3, Li-An Fu2 and Paul Fleming2

1 Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, National Defense University, Taipei 114, Taiwan and 2 Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim BT37 0QB, UK

3 Correspondence to: T. S.-H. Lee; E-mail: tonylee{at}mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw

This study investigated educational needs of female injecting heroin users in Taiwan relating to HIV/AIDS prevention via six focus group discussions in a prison. All sessions were audio-taped with respondents' consent and the discussions transcribed verbatim. The findings indicated that respondents had adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS, but held misconceptions regarding the modes of HIV transmission. Many respondents who did not perceive themselves susceptible to AIDS rarely used condoms and occasionally shared needles. Stigma surrounding AIDS is pervasive among respondents and they considered contracting cancer would be preferable to having AIDS; the latter could precipitate suicide. Lastly, many respondents had no confidence in assurances of confidentiality regarding HIV testing. Issues of misconceptions, high-risk behaviors, stigma surrounding AIDS and confidentiality of HIV testing must be addressed in appropriate HIV/AIDS education programmes with respect to the needs of female injecting heroin users.


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