Using Telehealth and Health Education to Advance Health Equity Within the Carceral System

Abstract

A recent review of the literature on telehealth care emphasized the need for digital equity concerning access and e-health literacy in underserved populations. 1 US incarceration practices have disproportionately affected the health of historically oppressed populations, particularly members of Black, rural, and economically disadvantaged communities. [2][3][4][5] Largely mirroring inequities experienced by incarcerated people, staff in prisons experience elevated rates of physical and mental health problems relative to the general public. 6,7 Tools to Advance Health Equity in PrisonsOutside of carceral contexts, several tools are being used to promote health equity. If adopted and implemented effectively, these tools could dismantle and address some of the systemic inequities within carceral contexts, ultimately resulting in more equitable health outcomes. The Figure displays the 5 essential tools required to promote health equity in carceral contexts, many of which include programming.Community-based participatory approaches in developing course and program content are essential in promoting the successful implementation of health equity-focused programming delivered to incarcerated people and the staff serving them. With a reciprocal empathy dynamic at its foundation, peerdriven efforts are unique and invaluable as a form of support for vulnerable populations. In the 1970s, a