Willingness to receive an HIV vaccine among incarcerated persons.
BACKGROUND
Once an HIV vaccine becomes available, high-risk adults will be a target population for vaccination, and HIV vaccination programs for inmates may be a public health priority. Nothing is known about U.S. inmates' willingness to accept an anticipated HIV vaccine while incarcerated. The goal of this study was to examine inmates' attitudes toward a potential HIV vaccine.


METHODS
In 2002, 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 indicated they would be willing to receive a hypothetical HIV vaccine while incarcerated. Although 88% of inmates self-reported at least one HIV risk factor, only 20% perceived themselves to be at risk for HIV.


CONCLUSIONS
Once an HIV vaccine becomes available, HIV vaccination programs in the correctional setting need to become a public health priority. These would be well received by inmates in Rhode Island.
Lally
Michelle
M
Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02906, USA. mlally@lifespan.org
Gaitanis
Melissa
M
Vallabhaneni
Snigdha
S
Reinert
Steven
S
Mayer
Kenneth
K
Zimet
Gregory
G
Rich
Josiah
J
D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends; D012237:Rhode Island; D014765:Viral Vaccines
D014765:Viral Vaccines