Applying the transtheoretical model to the readiness to change blood-borne virus transmission behaviors among drug-dependent inmates

Our study set out to assess readiness to change blood-borne virus transmission behaviors using the Transtheoretical Model among inmates in a court-ordered detention center. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in southern Taiwan. All men convicted of illicit drug use and sentenced to undergo the 6-month detoxification program were invited to participate. Half of the 172 participating inmates described themselves as being in the contemplation stage of change. The length of residency in the detoxification program was not associated with self-reported readiness to change, x² = 6.53, p =.16. Inmates in the precontemplation stage had increased rates for high-risk behaviors than those in the contemplation and action stages (p <.001). The efficacy of forced-abstinence detention programs on readiness to change risky behaviors needs to be reevaluated.