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COVID-19 vaccination in correctional systems in the United States

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Abstract

Overcrowding and limited ability to social distance contribute to high rates of COVID-19 outbreaks in correctional facilities. Despite the Centers for Disease Controls’ recommendations, incarcerated persons and correctional staff report a high prevalence of vaccine-hesitance. We sought to identify reasons underlying COVID-19 vaccine hesitation and refusal in correctional systems. We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines to design the review. We searched PubMed abstracts and reviewed literature relevant to COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy in correctional systems of the United States (n = 23). Reasons for vaccine hesitancy among incarcerated people and correctional staff include efficacy, safety concerns, lack of information, and distrust. Findings reveal higher vaccine hesitancy among young and Black residents whereas facilities in close collaborations with state health departments exhibited higher vaccination rates. Correctional facilities must prioritize communication and education to improve the current state of vaccine hesitancy.

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Funding

Funding was provided by National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant no. U01DA050442).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA

    Paige Martin, Rosemarie Martin, Audrey A. DeBritz & Augustine W. Kang

  2. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Augustine W. Kang

Authors
  1. Paige Martin
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  2. Rosemarie Martin
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  3. Audrey A. DeBritz
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  4. Augustine W. Kang
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Correspondence to Augustine W. Kang.

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Appendix 1: Database search strategies

Appendix 1: Database search strategies

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Jails)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Prison)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Correctional Settings)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Incarcerated)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Carceral)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Hesitancy)) AND (Jails)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Hesitancy)) AND (Prisons)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Hesitancy)) AND (Incarcerated)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Hesitancy)) AND (Correctional Settings)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Willingness) AND ((Prison))

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Willingness) AND ((Jails))

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Willingness) AND ((Correctional Facilities))

(((Refusal) AND (COVID-19)) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Prison)

(((Refusal) AND (COVID-19)) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Jails)

(((Refusal) AND (COVID-19)) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Correctional Settings)

((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Corrections Officers)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Disparities)) AND (Prison)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Prison)) AND (Race)

(((COVID-19) AND (Vaccine)) AND (Jail)) AND (Race)

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Martin, P., Martin, R., DeBritz, A.A. et al. COVID-19 vaccination in correctional systems in the United States. J Public Health Pol 44, 477–488 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41271-023-00426-5

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