Assessment of the Health Status of Women in Prison: A Comparison between Drug Users versus Non-users

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the history of substances use, clinical diagnoses, contacts with healthcare, and health complaints. Also, it aims to compare the health status of substance users versus non-users. Health records of 93 detained women from a prison in northern Portugal, with a mean age of 38.02 years old, were reviewed and coded using both International Classification of Primary Care—2 and International Classification of Diseases—10th. Data revealed high percentages of detainees with a history of substance use and pre-existing clinical diagnosis. During the first month of imprisonment, on average, participants had complained to a health professional 14.63 times. Substance users were younger and presented more mental health problems and health complaints. Health policies and professional practices in prison must include immediate assessment of a woman’s health concerns and foster the development of efficient protocols to address those problems, especially substance use disorder treatment.

Violence within women's prisons and its implications on reintegration effectiveness

“…It also diminishes their ability to build and maintain positive relationships with fellow inmates and prison staff, creating a socially challenging environment for them to receive support and solidarity (Moore et al, 2021;Zielinski et al, 2021). Furthermore, some studies have found that the sustained effects of violence within women's prisons can heighten the complexity of reintegration due to the development of low self-esteem, social isolation, and strong negative stigma against former inmates in society (Alves et al, 2022;Augsburger et al, 2022;Camplain et al, 2022;Shoham & Timor, 2014). Figure 2.…”