Identifying research priorities to improve the health of incarcerated populations: results of citizens' juries in Australian prisons

Abstract

Health disparities in incarcerated populations should guide investment in the health care and research of these communities. Although users of health-care services are important in providing input into decisions about research, the voices of people in prison are absent regarding research into their health. In this Health Policy paper, we present priorities for research into the health of people in prison according to people in prison themselves. By use of a deliberative research approach, citizens' juries were conducted in six prisons (three men's and three women's prisons) in Australia. Participants were selected following submissions of expression of interest forms that were distributed within the prisons. Prerecorded information by experts in the health of incarcerated people was shown to participants. Participants deliberated for up to 4 h before agreeing on five research priorities. All citizens' juries endorsed mental health as a number one research priority. Prison health-care services, alcohol and other drug use, education, and infectious diseases were identified as research priorities by most citizens' juries. Focal points within priorities included serious mental illness; grief and trauma; medication management; health-care service access, quality, and resources; drug withdrawal and peer support; prison-based needle and syringe programmes; and health and life skills education. If endeavours in research priority setting are to consider health equity goals, the views of our most health affected citizens need to be included.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of incarcerated people regarding COVID-19 and related vaccination: a survey in Italy

“…Several investigations have evaluated the knowledge, perceptions, and preventive practices toward COVID-19 disease and the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination in different populations, such as adults 11 – 13 , healthcare workers (HCWs) 14 , 15 , and parents 16 – 18 . However, although incarcerated people represent one of the priority groups to be protected from the SARS-CoV-2 19 , very few information is available on their awareness, perceptions, and behaviours regarding the COVID-19 prevention, as well as on their self-confidence in protecting themselves from SARS-CoV-2 infection and intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination 20 , 21 . Therefore, understanding the awareness and behaviour regarding COVID-19, and the willingness to receive the relative vaccination of people in prison and evaluating the determinants of these outcomes may help prison health authorities to develop effective preventive strategies in order to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this at-risk group.…”

Fear of COVID-19, Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Young Adult Male Inmates: A Portuguese Cross-Sectional Study

“…The current research has potential implications for policy, research, and practice. First, promoting mental health programs and services must be a government priority as an integral element of the COVID-19 response [ 62 ]. These initiatives must be multifaceted, integrating efforts to safeguard and enhance mental health with activities to manage other mental illnesses [ 62 ].…”

“…First, promoting mental health programs and services must be a government priority as an integral element of the COVID-19 response [ 62 ]. These initiatives must be multifaceted, integrating efforts to safeguard and enhance mental health with activities to manage other mental illnesses [ 62 ]. Second, when inmates enter the penal system and serve their sentences, they should be screened for mental health disorders on a regular basis [ 21 ].…”

Quality of life among people living with HIV aged 50 years and over in Australia: Identifying opportunities to support better ageing

“…First, a high proportion of the sample were gay or bisexual men, reflective of the concentrated HIV epidemic in Australia [59]. Therefore, our findings may not be applicable to people from other populations who experience increased risks of HIV transmission compared with the general population, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, people who have been incarcerated, and migrants from low-and middle-income countries [60][61][62]. Further, a range of social and structural factors mean these populations are also more likely to experience higher levels of stigma, food insecurity, loneliness/isolation, and difficulty accessing services.…”