KEYWORDS:
VPDs, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Women Offenders, Education

BACKGROUND:
Ninety percent of women in United States prisons are single mothers. Traditionally, prison education programs have focused on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Few educational programs have addressed VPDs. Indiana Women’s Prison (IWP) is the intake facility for pregnant offenders. Women housed at IWP have/had behaviors that put them at risk for hepatitis. The educational program was designed to address VPDs as well as hepatitis A, B, and C.

OBJECTIVE(S):
1) Educate women offenders on the importance of immunizations in relation to VPDs. 2) Provide education on hepatitis A, B and C.

METHOD(S):
The presentation, given monthly to an average of 15 women, is divided into three different sections: VPDs, hepatitis A and C, and hepatitis B. VPDs are presented using attention-getting photographs and current disease information. The hepatitis A and C component utilizes slides to educate on the who, what, when and how of these infections. The session is concluded with an informal discussion of hepatitis B.

RESULT(S):
So far this program has demonstrated a need for such projects and the audience's interest in learning about personal health and the health/immunization needs of their children. A pre- and post-test is used to measure the increase in knowledge provided by the presentation. Preliminary results show a 28% increase in knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
STDs have been the primary focus in prison education. Given that a large percent of these women have children, they are interested in learning about VPDs and how to protect their children through immunizations. By providing basic VPD information we hope to encourage the women to get their children vaccinated.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will become more knowledgeable on childhood vaccination and its’ importance. Participants will learn about hepatitis A, B and C, and the behaviors that put them at risk for hepatitis.