Lind Margaret L, Kennedy Byron S, Nieto Murilo Dorion, Houde Amy J, Sosensky Peri, Borg Ryan, Cummings Derek A T, Ko Albert I, Richeson Robert P
Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
Connecticut Department of Correction, 24 Wolcott Hill Rd, Wethersfield, CT, 06109, USA.
Health Justice. 2023 Mar 13;11(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s40352-023-00216-x.
Vaccine hesitancy is common among incarcerated populations and, despite vaccination programs, vaccine acceptance within residents remains low, especially within jails. With the goal of assessing the Connecticut DOC's COVID-19 vaccine program within jails we examined if residents of DOC operated jails were more likely to become vaccinated following incarceration than in the community. Specifically, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis among people who spent at least one night in a DOC-operated jail between February 2 and November 8, 2021, and were eligible for vaccination at the time of incarceration (intake). We compared the vaccination rates before and after incarceration using an age-adjusted survival analysis with a time-varying exposure of incarceration and an outcome of vaccination.
During the study period, 3,716 people spent at least one night in jail and were eligible for vaccination at intake. Of these residents, 136 were vaccinated prior to incarceration, 2,265 had a recorded vaccine offer, and 479 were vaccinated while incarcerated. The age-adjusted hazard of vaccination following incarceration was significantly higher than prior to incarceration (12.5; 95% Confidence Intervals: 10.2-15.3).
We found that residents were more likely to become vaccinated in jail than in the community. Though these findings highlight the utility of vaccination programs within jails, the low level of vaccination in this population speaks to the need for additional program development within jails and the community.
疫苗犹豫在被监禁人群中很常见，尽管有疫苗接种计划，但居民中的疫苗接受率仍然很低，尤其是在监狱中。为了评估康涅狄格州惩教部在监狱中的新冠疫苗接种计划，我们研究了惩教部管理的监狱中的居民在入狱后是否比在社区中更有可能接种疫苗。具体而言，我们对2021年2月2日至11月8日期间在惩教部管理的监狱中至少度过一晚且在入狱时（入院时）有资格接种疫苗的人群进行了回顾性队列分析。我们使用年龄调整生存分析，将入狱作为随时间变化的暴露因素，将接种疫苗作为结果，比较了入狱前后的疫苗接种率。
在研究期间，3716人在监狱中至少度过一晚且入院时符合接种疫苗条件。在这些居民中，136人在入狱前接种了疫苗，2265人有记录显示被提供了疫苗，479人在入狱期间接种了疫苗。入狱后接种疫苗的年龄调整风险显著高于入狱前（12.5；95%置信区间：10.2 - 15.3）。
我们发现居民在监狱中比在社区中更有可能接种疫苗。尽管这些发现凸显了监狱内疫苗接种计划的效用，但该人群的低接种水平表明在监狱和社区中需要进一步开展计划。
