title: Prisoners' attitudes toward Hepatitis B vaccination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B continues to be a substantial problem in the United States despite the existence of a safe and effective vaccine. Vaccination programs for inmates could reach many high-risk individuals but little is known about U.S. inmates' willingness to accept hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination while incarcerated. The goal of this study was to assess inmates' knowledge about hepatitis B and their willingness to accept hepatitis B vaccination while incarcerated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed 153 male and female inmates at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC) using a voluntary, anonymous survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-three percent of inmates said they would agree to receive the hepatitis B vaccine while incarcerated. More than half of the 30% who reported having risk factors for hepatitis B did not consider themselves to be at risk for hepatitis B and almost half (44%) of all inmates were not aware that hepatitis B can be transmitted through unprotected sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis B vaccination programs in correctional settings are a public health priority and would be well received by the target population. Such programs would help protect the health of incarcerated persons and the communities to which they return.
authors.affiliation: Brown University School of Medicine, RI 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Snigdha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallabhaneni
authors.forename: Grace E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Macalino
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Reinert
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwartzapfel
authors.forename: Francis A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Josiah D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012237:Rhode Island; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines