Background:
Vaccines against sexually transmitted infections (STI) are in development to address the high rate of infection that has persisted despite a myriad of behavioral intervention efforts. There are an estimated 18.5 million new infections yearly in the United States. Incarcerated populations suffer disproportionately from these and would benefit greatly from prophylactic vaccines. To date, the constructs that determine incarcerated women's acceptance of STI vaccines have not been explored.

Objective:
This study sought to find the correlates of hypothetical Neisseria gonorrhea (GC) vaccine acceptance in a high-risk sample of incarcerated women.

Method:
Research assistants surveyed the first 100 women enrolled in an HIV risk reduction study within their first 4 days of incarceration at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute face-to-face in an unmonitored room. Participants rated their likelihood of accepting a hypothetical vaccine and answered vaccine attitude and belief – related questions based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). The outcome variable, acceptance of the vaccine, was dichotomized to any acceptance and no acceptance. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

Result:
The majority (79%) of incarcerated women surveyed would accept GC vaccine. In multivariate analyses that controlled for demographics, significant HBM psychosocial correlates of higher acceptance were perceived severity (OR=3.33) and vulnerability (OR=2.85). In addition, fear of the vaccine was significantly correlated with lower acceptance (OR=0.42).

Conclusion:
Incarcerated women's willingness to accept a hypothetical STI vaccine is explained by components of the Health Belief Model.

Implications:
Intervention efforts in women's jails and prisons can rationally target resources towards educating incarcerated women to change their beliefs about 1) severity of STI, 2) susceptibility to STI; and 3) safety of vaccines.