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You Matter

COVID-19

The ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study conducted focus groups and surveys with people with lived and living experience of incarceration in BC Provincial Correctional Centres during the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed us to gain a better understanding of the experiences of people in prison during this time, as well as their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about COVID-19 and vaccines.

We then co-designed this series of educational resources with people who were incarcerated in BC Provincial Correctional Centres to address the issues that they identified as the biggest concerns for people in custody.

All the educational resources posted here can be downloaded, or if you would like to order printed copies, please email STBBI_Pathways@bccdc.ca to request this.

Downloadable resources developed as part of the ADVANCE Study

Comic: A guide to coping with needle hate

During focus groups and in surveys conducted as part of the ADVANCE Study, we asked people in custody about their reasons for not being vaccinated. Many people said they avoid needles unless absolutely necessary, as they find them triggering or create unpleasant feelings. So we worked with people who have been incarcerated to come up with ways to cope with ‘needle hate’. We also looked to peer-reviewed, published evidence and guidelines about how healthcare providers can improve the experience of being vaccinated for people who fear or dislike needles. We put all of this information together in a comic, because people who are incarcerated told us that this would be a medium they would find engaging and accessible. While the strategies suggested in this comic may not work for everyone, the conversation that is depicted can serve as a model for how an individual can ask for the accommodations that would work for them, or that they would prefer, when they are getting vaccinated. 

Booklet 1: Making an Informed Choice

We co-designed this booklet with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The booklet addresses the concerns that people who were incarcerated had about COVID-19 vaccines that were identified through the ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study.

Booklet 3: COVID-19 Testing

We co-designed this booklet with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The booklet addresses the questions and concerns that people in custody had about COVID-19 testing that were identified through the ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study.

Booklet 5: Overdose Prevention & Harm Reduction

We co-designed this booklet with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The booklet addresses the concerns people in custody had about the risk of accidental drug overdose after release from custody that were identified through the ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study.

Poster series one: COVID-19 Myth Busting

We asked people who were incarcerated provincially in British Columbia what myths they have heard about COVID-19 and vaccines. We collected these all together to make a list of the most frequently heard myths. We then asked experts to help ‘bust the myths’, then put all this info into these posters. We got feedback about the way the info on the posters was worded, as well we the design and overall look of the posters from people who were incarcerated provincially in British Columbia, to help us make the posters as easy to understand, as appealing as possible.

Comic: Real talk

During focus groups and in surveys conducted as part of the ADVANCE Study, we asked people in custody about their reasons for not being vaccinated. Many people we heard from said they had heard a lot of myths and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and vaccinations while they were incarcerated. We also asked about how they would like to get information, and who they trust information from , and many said they like to read comic strips. So we created this comic to bust some of the common myths we heard, and show these in a conversation. The educational resources created from the ADVANCE  Study are specifically aiming not to try to convince or coerce people who are incarcerated to make a certain choice about whether or not to be vaccinated, but trying to encourage them to be informed when they make their choice. Informed decisions are decisions that are based on facts and evidence, not objective opinions, myths or rumours. 

Booklet 2: Wellness While in Custody

We co-designed this booklet with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The booklet addresses the concerns that people in custody had about how to maintain their health and wellness during incarceration that were identified through the ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study.

Booklet 4: Planning for Release

We co-designed this booklet with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic. The booklet addresses the concerns that people in custody had about how to access services after release from custody that were identified through the ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study.

Making Informed Choices: COVID-19 Activity Book

We co-designed this workbook with people who were in custody in a BC Provincial Correctional Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic to address the questions and concerns that people in custody had about COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and many other issues. It uses didactic activities such as word searches, word jumbles, and crosswords to make learning interactive.

Poster series two: COVID-19 FAQs

We asked people who were incarcerated provincially in British Columbia what questions they have about COVID-19 and vaccines. We collected these all together to make a list of the most frequently asked questions. We then asked experts to help answer these questions, then put all this info into these posters. We got feedback about the way the info on the posters was worded, as well we the design and overall look of the posters from people who were incarcerated provincially in British Columbia, to help us make the posters as easy to understand, as appealing as possible.

You Matter

NEWS & STORIES

The News & Stories page include blogs written by team members, news, project updates and past and upcoming events.

  • Blogs
  • Media / Press
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  • Event Calendar

Blogs

  • You Matter: Pathways to care for STBBIs for people who have been incarcerated

    By Webmaster | Comments are Closed

    By Hannah Branch & Sofia Bartlett SEPTEMBER 26, 2022, CATIE Blog People who have experienced incarceration are disproportionately affected by sexually transmittedRead more

  • World Hepatitis Day 2022

    By Webmaster | Comments are Closed

    By Hannah Branch July 28 is World Hepatitis Day. This year’s campaign theme is ‘I can’t wait,’ highlighting the need to accelerateRead more

Media / Press

  • Making a real difference: People who are incarcerated help peers get immunized for COVID-19

    By Webmaster | Comments are Closed

    “The beginning of the pandemic was really challenging for everyone, including people in corrections,” says Pam Young, manager with Unlocking the GatesRead more

  • Megaphone magazine September 2022 issue features article on Test Link Call Project!

    By Sofia Bartlett PhD | Comments are Closed

    By Sofia Bartlett Megaphone magazine ran an article in their September 2022 issue on Test Link Call (TLC) Project. Check the articleRead more

Project Updates

STBBI Policy and Guideline
Development for BC Corrections

The You Matter Pathways to STBBI Care project is funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada …

DETAILS

Test, Link,
Call Project

We recently received funding for the Test, Link, Call (TLC) Project which will be launched in Fall 2021 …

DETAILS

Upcoming Events

American Association for the Study of
Liver Diseases (Digital Conference)

Date: Nov 12-15, 2021

Link to conference
https://www.aasld.org/the-liver-meeting/program/digital-experience

  • Benefits of DAA treatment on mortality related to extrahepatic manifestations among people who inject drugs: a population-based study in British Columbia, Canada
  • Hepatitis C virus reinfection after successful treatment with direct acting antiviral therapy in Canada
  • Hepatitis C screening



In partnership with the BCCDC, BCMHSUS, UBC and other
stakeholders, we created a group that has been working on
transformative projects to improve health outcomes for
people in prison related to STBBIs.

PROJECTS

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  • STBBI Policy and Guideline Development for BC Corrections
  • Test, Link, Call Project
  • ADVANCE COVID-19 Vaccines Study
  • ASSESS-DBS Study

EDUCATION RESOURCES

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  • COVID-19

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  • Guidelines
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  • Release planning tools
  • Test, Link, Call resources
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