EU-funded RISE-Vac project: increasing vaccine uptake in prisons across Europe

Tackling low vaccine coverage is a public health priority, particularly among prison populations, where vaccination rates are lower than among the general population. Incarcerated individuals largely belong to socially deprived communities with low socio-economic status and education level, high disease burden and prevalence of risk behaviours, and often, sub-optimal access to care, including to vaccination services.

As vaccination campaigns across Europe are launching for the autumn season, HaDEA spoke with Lara Tavoschi, senior researcher at the Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pisa and coordinator of the RISE-Vac project. This project, funded under the EU Third health programme, aims to improve the health of prison population in Europe by promoting vaccine literacy and improving the offer and uptake of vaccines. By upholding the principle that prison health is public health, the RISE-Vac project provides tools and data-driven, evidence-based options to guide European countries in improving the health status of people in prison and the population at large.

1. What are some of the obstacles/ challenges that the prison population faces in terms of access to vaccines and their uptake? 

Low-level immunisation is common among people entering prison. This is likely due to the combined effect of an inadequate health and vaccine literacy, sub-optimal access to health care services while in the community, low-risk perception and universal distrust in prison authorities. The structure of healthcare services in prison, with a sub-optimal access to healthcare services, also contributes to the worsening of the situation.

One of the principles of prison healthcare delivery maintains that people in prison have the same right to care as those in the community. However, vaccination services are not always available in all prisons, with only some vaccines being available and/or offered only to some groups of individuals. 

Given that the responsibility of healthcare provision in prison lies with a diverse set of authorities, depending on national set-up, this may have implications on the models of service delivery available to people in prison.

2.  How has your project contributed to improving the health of incarcerated individuals in Europe and how has it facilitated their access to vaccines/ increased vaccine uptake?  

The RISE-Vac consortium brings together multisectoral skills, solid experience and well-established networks in the prison health field, reflecting epidemiological and structural diversities of the European context. The project aims to increase knowledge and awareness about the potential impact and added value of quality prison health to tackle health inequalities.

The consortium has been working together to expand existing evidence on vaccination services in prisons by gathering evidence on vaccination strategies and services targeting people in prison and combining it with data on attitudes towards vaccination, vaccination status and vaccine uptake during incarceration. 

Using a co-creation approach, the RISE-Vac consortium has developed information and training materials tailored to people in prison and staff to increase their vaccine learning. 

The project also provides an opportunity to gather and share information with countries where different care service delivery models are in place, and to discuss existing systems and benchmark improvements. 

3. How important is the support of EU funding for your project? What are the expected future outcomes of your project?

EU funding has made this project possible. Our partnership involves EU and non-EU countries and engages a diverse set of stakeholders. Benchmarking has been central to the project and has led to substantial exchange of practices and cross-fertilisation.

RISE-Vac consortium will produce a substantial and sound body of evidence to inform policy- and decision-makers’ future initiatives on prison health strategies and programmes well beyond the project lifespan. In addition to this, RISE-Vac information and training materials will be made available in a large number of languages, including English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Romanian, Spanish, Arabic and Russian, to be used and disseminated within participating countries and beyond.

Dissemination within the scientific community has been ongoing since the project’s start, through the production of scientific manuscripts and participation in national and international conferences. It will conclude with the showcasing of the project’s results at Lisbon Addictions (October 2024) and at the European Public Health Conference (November 2024), where HaDEA will be present with a stand on EU funding and a session during the pre-conference programme.

Background

Rise-Vac publications

Since 2003, the first, second and Third health programmes have implemented EU health policy. The EU4Health programme 2021-27 is the latest and largest one to date in monetary terms. The EU4Health Programme provides funding to national authorities, health organisations and other bodies through grants and public procurement, contributing to a healthier Europe.