“He Was the Story of My Drug Use Life”: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study of the Impact of Partner Incarceration on Substance Misuse Patterns Among African American Women

Cooper, Hannah L.F.; Clark, Claire D.; Barham, Terrika; Embry, Venita; Caruso, Bethany A.; Comfort, Megan

doi:10.3109/10826084.2013.824474

Cited by 15 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Over time, they cycled between getting housing through formal supports (i.e., shelters, residential drug treatment) and family members. As discussed elsewhere, 35 the possibility of living with family members, or of having them contribute money to cover rent, emerged as women reduced or ceased misusing substances.…”

Section: Trajectory 1: Destitution and Forming New Partnerships To Sumentioning

confidence: 96%

“…We have described partner incarceration and women's substance-misuse trajectories in detail elsewhere. 35 This inquiry was broadly guided by the Social Ecologic Model, a model that posits that health behaviors are shaped by processes operating within and across multiple levels of life, including communities, networks, dyads, and individuals. 36 We conceptualized racialized mass incarceration as a societal exposure that might affect African-American women's HIV risk by altering dyadic relationships and individual economic circumstances, and highlighted the possibility that women's individual substance misuse and network-level (i.e., family-level) and community-level supports might shape the consequences of partner incarceration.…”

Section: Racialized Mass Incarcerationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Women typically ended relationships because they believed it was impossible to have a positive post-release future with these men. As discussed elsewhere, 35 most T1 women used substances with their partners prior to their incarceration and tried to Bget their lives back on track^-including reducing or ceasing their substance misuse-while partners were incarcerated. Women worried that their partners would revert to the Bstreet lifeû pon release, jeopardizing their own ability to remain on their new positive track.…”

Section: Trajectory 1: Destitution and Forming New Partnerships To Sumentioning

confidence: 99%

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Partner Incarceration and African-American Women’s Sexual Relationships and Risk: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Cooper¹,

Caruso²,

Barham³

et al. 2015

J Urban Health

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Racialized mass incarceration is associated with racial/ethnic disparities in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US. The purpose of this longitudinal qualitative study was to learn about the processes through which partner incarceration affects African-American women's sexual risk. Four waves of in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted in 2010-2011 with 30 women in Atlanta, Georgia (US) who had recently incarcerated partners. Approximately half the sample misused substances at baseline. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory. For over half the sample (N = 19), partner incarceration resulted in destitution, and half of this group (N = 9) developed new partnerships to secure shelter or food; most misused substances. Other women (N = 9) initiated casual relationships to meet emotional or sexual needs. When considered with past research, these findings suggest that reducing incarceration rates among African-American men may reduce HIV/STIs among African-American women, particularly among substance-misusing women, as might rapidly linking women with recently incarcerated partners to housing and economic support and drug treatment.

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Section: Trajectory 1: Destitution and Forming New Partnerships To Sumentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Racialized Mass Incarcerationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Trajectory 1: Destitution and Forming New Partnerships To Sumentioning

confidence: 99%

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Partner Incarceration and African-American Women’s Sexual Relationships and Risk: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Cooper¹,

Caruso²,

Barham³

et al. 2015

J Urban Health

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“…Our findings illuminate two pathways through which incarceration influenced women’s reliance on transactional sex relationships. First, male incarceration disrupted the economic stability of a household by removing a male partner who was providing material or financial support (Cooper et al 2013). Second, having a criminal record served as a barrier to employment opportunities for many of the participants’ partners.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collateral consequences: implications of male incarceration rates, imbalanced sex ratios and partner availability for heterosexual Black women

Dauria

Oakley

Arriola

et al. 2015

Culture, Health & Sexuality

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While studies have found correlations between rates of incarceration and STIs, few have explored the mechanisms linking these phenomena. This qualitative study examines how male incarceration rates and sex ratios influence perceived partner availability and sexual partnerships for heterosexual Black women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 Black women living in two US neighbourhoods: one with a high male incarceration rate and an imbalanced sex ratio (referred to as “Allentown”) and one with a low male incarceration rate and an equitable sex ratio (referred to as “Blackrock”). Data were analysed using grounded theory. In Allentown, male incarceration reduced the number of available men; participants largely viewed men available for partnerships as being of an undesirable quality. The number and desirability of men impacted on the nature of partnerships such that they were shorter, focused on sexual activity, and may be with higher risk sexual partners (e.g. transactional sex partners). In Blackrock, marriage rates contributed to the shortage of desirable male partners. By highlighting the role that the quantity and quality of male partners has on shaping sexual partnerships, this study advances current understandings of how incarceration and sex ratios shape HIV- and STI-related risk.

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“…[10 13 14] Partners left behind may engage in high-risk sexual relationships to fulfill financial, emotional, or sexual needs. [10 13–15] Additionally, during periods of incarceration men may engage in same-sex sexual behavior; increasing their risk of STI transmission. [10 12] Finally, recently-released men may resume old sexual partnerships while also forming new ones.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male Incarceration Rates and Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections

Dauria

Elifson

Arriola³

et al. 2015

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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Background In the United States (US), rates of certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing. Contextual factors appear to play an important role in shaping STI transmission dynamics. This longitudinal study explores the relationship between one contextual determinant of health (the male incarceration rate) and rates of newly-diagnosed STIs in census tracts in Atlanta, GA. Methods The sample consisted of all census tracts in Atlanta (N=946). Annual data on STI diagnoses were drawn from the Georgia surveillance system for 2005–2010; annual male incarceration data were drawn from the Georgia Department of Corrections. for 2005–2010; data on potential confounders were drawn from the US Census. Multivariable growth models were used to examine the association between the male incarceration rate and rates of newly-diagnosed STIs, controlling for covariates. Results Census tracts with higher baseline male incarceration rates had a higher baseline rate of newly-diagnosed STIs. Census tracts with increasing male incarceration rates experienced a more rapid increase in their rate of newly-diagnosed STIs. Census tracts with medium and high baseline male incarceration rates experienced a decrease in their rate of newly-diagnosed STIs over time. Conclusions The present study strengthens the evidence that male incarceration rates have negative consequences on sexual health outcomes, though the relationship may be more nuanced than originally thought. Future multilevel research should explore individual sexual risk behaviors and networks in the context of high male incarceration rates to better understand how male incarceration shapes rates of STIs.

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“He Was the Story of My Drug Use Life”: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study of the Impact of Partner Incarceration on Substance Misuse Patterns Among African American Women

Cited by 15 publications

References 37 publications

Partner Incarceration and African-American Women’s Sexual Relationships and Risk: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Partner Incarceration and African-American Women’s Sexual Relationships and Risk: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Collateral consequences: implications of male incarceration rates, imbalanced sex ratios and partner availability for heterosexual Black women

Male Incarceration Rates and Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections

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