An Approach to Develop Effective Health Care Decision Making for Women in Prison

Abstract

Those who face chronic, potentially life-limiting illness cannot make meaningful decisions regarding medical care and treatment without having a basic foundation of health information. Acquiring knowledge and improving communication skills reduce stress and vulnerability, assuring individuals of some control over decision making.

The Impact of Parental Incarceration on Children: An Emerging Need for Effective Interventions

“…Since 1986 the incarcerated female population has increased by 400%. There are approximately 90,000-100,000 women in United States federal and state prisons (Enders, Paterniti, & Meyers, 2005;Ruiz, 2002). Researchers have found that paternal incarceration usually results in mild to moderate family tensions while on average maternal incarceration may have a greater impact, specifically regarding child placement options and their ability to adjust to new family structures.…”

Examining the Traumatic Effects of Sexual Victimization on the Health of Incarcerated Women

“…As a result of limited education and poverty-stricken lifestyles, incarcerated women have typically not had routine access to health care prior to imprisonment (Aday & Krabill, 2011). For instance, women are often lacking in access to reproductive health services and enter prison with unusually high rates of sexually transmitted infections, substance abuse, and histories of poor nutrition (Enders, Paterniti, & Meyers, 2005). Elevated chronic health conditions include asthma, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, anemia, seizures, ulcers, heart disease, obesity, and cancers (Hannaher, 2007;Jacobi, 2005).…”

Elders and the criminal justice system

“…The impact of 'get tough' sentencing policies has resulted in the proliferation of the long-term prisoner population, and the unintended consequence is that a large number of inmates are growing old in prison. Some scholars speculate that older inmates will make up about one-third of the prison population by 2020 (Enders, Paterniti, and Meyers 2005). It is generally estimated that the cost of incarcerating an elderly innate is 3 -5 times more expensive than a younger inmate Hurley 2014;Blowers, Jolley, and Kerbs 2014).…”