Does Dialogue-Based Learning Motivate COVID-19 Preventive Behavior Among Correctional Officers?

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, correctional officers not only experienced high rates of COVID-19 infection but concomitantly demonstrated low vaccine uptake and high government mistrust, placing correctional staff and the incarcerated at risk for viral transmission. To support behavioral change, a multi-pronged dialogic health education intervention was developed for correctional officers in a New York county jail. One-hour facilitated discussions took place during mandatory training days. The research team collected pre- and post-surveys to assess whether the sessions impacted intention to change COVID-19 preventive behaviors, perceived effectiveness of behaviors recommended by public health professionals, and overall health literacy. Participants were also invited to participate in an interview 3–7 months after the session regarding behavior change and perceived effectiveness of the dialogic approach. Surveys were analyzed for pre-post changes, and interview notes were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The data indicate that officers were more likely to demonstrate increased health literacy and an intention to improve or maintain their non-pharmacological health behaviors following participation in a dialogue-based health information session. Outcomes suggest that when delivering sensitive health information to populations often mistrustful of governmental initiatives, information sessions that employ discussion strategies, facilitated by credible messengers, are likely to be the most effective in improving health-related knowledge and attitudes; further study is needed to understand these strategies’ effect on behavioral change.