Schwenksville

Researchers are investigating ways to reduce illness and death from COVID-19 among people who are incarcerated and those who work in correctional facilities. The study aims to find effective and practical strategies to increase COVID-19 and influenza vaccine acceptance within these settings. This is done through community engagement and rapid cycle, cluster randomized trials in the Pennsylvania prison system. The study tests interventions chosen by the ADVANCE Steering Committee, focusing on four levels: patient, provider, practice, and prison. These behavioral interventions are applied one at a time in an iterative process, using a participatory approach to identify feasible and acceptable methods to improve vaccine uptake. Each testing round includes one month of preparation, a 12-week intervention period, and two months for analysis and quick sharing of results. Participants include all incarcerated individuals in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, with interventions based on their housing locations. The study tracks vaccine acceptance rates up to 12 weeks after each intervention. Researchers monitor effectiveness through rapid trials and analyze results to identify strategies that could be scaled nationally or adapted for other criminal justice populations. Those with severe physical or mental illnesses housed in special medical units are excluded from participation.