The Impact of Incarceration on Greek Female Prisoners’ Self-reported Health Status (original) (raw)
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Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2016
Objective: Detention conditions during incarceration have not been adequately explored in Greece. The aim of this study was to highlight incarcerated women's views and satisfaction on their detention conditions in the female prison of Attica. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2014. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed to those who met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Inmates who were in solitary confinement, suffered from serious psychiatric problems, or were unable to understand the Greek language were excluded from the study. Participation was voluntary after prisoners' verbal consent. Data were collected via personal interviews and information received was anonymized. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, Spearman correlation coefficient and qualitative content analyses were used. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20. Results: Of a total of 135 incarcerated women, 101 were eligible and accepted to participate in the study. Current mental and health status were rated as poor/ very poor by 55% and 27.7% of the participants, respectively. The vast majority stated their dissatisfaction with the accommodation, the cleanliness, as well as the provided nutrition inside the prison. 65% participated in social reintegration programs and 66% in physical exercise. 73.3% declared that the main reason of their worries was the relationship with their family members and 37.6% stated that there was support in family problems during incarceration. The overall satisfaction on detention conditions regarding prisoner's daily life was also rated as low by 67.3%. In addition, the results confirmed a positive linear relationship between satisfaction on detention conditions and health/mental health status. Conclusion: Incarcerated women in the female prison of Attica appear not to be satisfied with the experienced detentions conditions that are associated with their health status. Our findings should encourage further research in order to introduce more effective interventions aiming at improving prisoner's daily life and future after release.
Background. Prisoners constitute a group with increased health and social care needs. Although implementing policies that aim at improving outcomes within this population should be a priority area, studies that attempt to assess health outcomes and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population are limited. Aim. To assess HRQoL in a prison population in Greece and to explore the relationship between HRQoL and a set of individual sociodemographic and health related characteristics and characteristics of detention. Methods. A cross-sectional study involving 100 male prisoners was conducted in the prison of Corinth in Greece. HRQoL was assessed through the use of the SF-36 and the EQ-5D. Results. The mean physical and mental summary scores of the SF-36 were 55.33 and 46.82, respectively. The EQ-VAS mean score was 76.41%, while the EQ-5D index was 0.72. Multivariate analysis identified a statistical relationship between HRQoL and the conditions of detention, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, and mental problems. The use of narcotics in particular is significantly associated with lower HRQoL. Conclusions. Implementation of policies that aim at preventing the use of narcotics within the prison environment is expected to contribute to improved HRQoL in this population. Prob > = 0.0075; -squared = 0.2821; Adjusted -square = 0.1638; Root MSE = 0.2573. * * * Number of observations = 100; Prob > = 0.0000; -squared = 0.4100; Adjusted -square = 0.3129; Root MSE = 7.1958. * * * * Number of observations = 100; Prob > = 0.0991; -squared = 0.2073; Adjusted -square = 0.0768; Root MSE = 11.084.
Health Conditions Prior to Imprisonment and the Impact of Prison on Health: Views of Detained Women
Detained women have certain health conditions prior to incarceration and these conditions can improve, worsen, or remain the same in prison, depending on the prisoner’s background, the characteristics of the prison, and the arrest experience. This study investigated the health of detained women and the influence of incarceration from their perspective. Three focus groups were conducted among 15 inmates, and data were analyzed according to thematic analysis procedures. Detainer’s health backgrounds varied with regard to their level of health concerns, contact with health services, and health behaviors. A positive influence of incarceration was described by patients with chronic illness, patients with drug addiction, and victims of interpersonal violence. Among women with mental illnesses or those without previous health problems, reports do not reveal benefits of imprisonment for mental health. These data emphasize the importance of specialized health care and the need to invest in mental health care in corrective institutions.
With imprisonment rates rising in a large number of jurisdictions worldwide, evermore research attention has been paid to conditions of imprisonment and prisoner health. With a view to contributing to the emerging body of literature, this article offers a systematic summary of key findings from Greece. Prison establishments in this country are vastly overcrowded and material conditions of detainment are deplorable. Healthcare provision in prison is minimal, and the prevalence of serious transmittable diseases and mental disorders amongst prisoner populations is high, as are the rates of deliberate self-harm, suicide, and death more generally. Prisoner use of prescribed and illicit drugs is alarmingly common, especially as regards injection drugs, and drug overdose appears to account for the majority of deaths in custody.
Incarcerated Women: Changes in Their Health During the Imprision Situation
International Journal of Health Science
Goal: to analyze the main changes that have occurred in the health of women in prison in a regional prison complex in western Santa Catarina. Methodology: qualitative research carried out in March 2019 through interviews with 10 women in prison, they were applied in a private place, in a room provided by the health unit within the prison complex, with an average duration of 40 minutes. The analysis was performed using thematic content analysis. Results: the women were between 20 and 39 years old, six of them had children, 7 of them were married or dating, and six had a job prior to their incarceration. The participants' speeches were divided into three main categories: "family dynamics, intimate visits and interpersonal dependence"; "food, prison hygiene and infrastructure"; and "mental health and access to health services in prison". Final considerations: the participants reported worsening in different aspects of their physical and emotional health, contrary to what guide public policies.
Imprisonment and Health: Issues and Concerns
International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 2014
Prison health is an inevitable part of public health as there is intensive interaction between prisons and society. Prisoners do not represent a homogeneous segment of society. Many have lived at the margins of society, are poorly educated and come from socio-economically disadvantaged groups. They often have unhealthy lifestyles and addictions such as alcoholism, smoking and drug use, which contribute to poor general health and put them at risk of disease. The prevalence of mental health problems is very high and some prisoners are seriously mentally ill and should be in psychiatric facility rather than in prison. The rise in prison population has resulted in overcrowding and communicable diseases, such as HIV and Tuberculosis are more prevalent in prisons than in the community. Many prisoners have had no contact, or very limited contact, with health services in the community before they were detained in prison. The situation is further more pathetic among women prisoners. Women wh...
Health Protection of Prisoners in the Republic of Macedonia
CBU International Conference Proceedings, 2016
INTRODUCTION: Prisoners’ health is one of the major challenges of public health systems because of prisoners’ greater care needs due to the poor economic conditions connected to the numerous risks and higher morbidity and mortality related to incarceration. Malnutrition, infectious diseases, overcrowding, strict custodial physical infrastructure, and limited access to basic health services, among other factors, contribute to a worsening of the physical and mental health of prisonersOBJECTIVES: This study aimed to ascertain leading health problems, care needs, and the degree of health protection used in the prison population of the Republic of Macedonia. METHODS: The research is a cross-sectional study of the prison population, composed of 550 prisoners, with 100 situated in Bitola’s prison, 100 in the prison of Prilep, 50 women imprisoned in the women’s section of the correctional institution, Idrizovo, and another 300 prisoners from Idrizovo. RESULTS: The most important reasons for...
Health & Justice, 2022
Background Women make up 5% of the European prison population on average. Almost invisible in prison and health research, and suffering the stigma associated with female offending, incarcerated women are often forgotten, and their specific healthcare needs remain much ignored. Combining face-to-face survey interviews and medical chart data, we aim to assess the health status, healthcare needs, and access to preventive medicine of women incarcerated in Switzerland. Results Sixty incarcerated adult women participated in a cross-sectional study to assess their life and incarceration histories, physical and mental health problems, medication, and use of medical services. Eligibility criteria were (a) an incarceration of at least four weeks and (b) the ability to provide written informed consent. Exclusion criteria were psychiatric instability and insufficient language competence. Women’s average age was 34.3 years old (SD = 9.8); 45.0% of them were born in Switzerland, 33.3% in Europe a...
INCREDIBED WOMEN: CHANGES IN THEIR HEALTH DURING THE IMPRISION SITUATION (Atena Editora)
INCREDIBED WOMEN: CHANGES IN THEIR HEALTH DURING THE IMPRISION SITUATION (Atena Editora), 2023
Goal: to analyze the main changes that have occurred in the health of women in prison in a regional prison complex in western Santa Catarina. Methodology: qualitative research carried out in March 2019 through interviews with 10 women in prison, they were applied in a private place, in a room provided by the health unit within the prison complex, with an average duration of 40 minutes. The analysis was performed using thematic content analysis. Results: the women were between 20 and 39 years old, six of them had children, 7 of them were married or dating, and six had a job prior to their incarceration. The participants' speeches were divided into three main categories: “family dynamics, intimate visits and interpersonal dependence”; "food, prison hygiene and infrastructure”; and “mental health and access to health services in prison”. Final considerations: the participants reported worsening in different aspects of their physical and emotional health, contrary to what guide public policies.
Prison Health in Transitional Albania
Medical Archives, 2014
The information about prisoners' health in transitional countries including Albania is limited. The aim of our study was to assess the health status and its correlates among adult prisoners in Albania, a post-communist country in Southeast Europe. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2013 including 401 prisoners in Albania [290 (72%) males and 111 (28%) females]. All participants were administered an anonymous and structured questionnaire including information on self-perceived health status, health-related problems, lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol intake and drug use) and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics (age, sex, educational attainment and income level). Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between self-reported health status and covariates. Results: Overall, 173 (43.1%) of prisoners included in this study reported a poor health status, with a clear predominance of the female gender (P<0.01). Overall, 28.1% of prisoners reported the presence of at least one disease. The overall prevalence of smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and drug use were 59.1%, 34.9% and 10.2%, respectively. Upon multivariable-adjustment, poor self-perceived health status was positively associated with female gender (OR=2.01, 95%CI=1.41-2.96), smoking (OR=1.58, 95%CI=1.29-2.04), excessive alcohol consumption (OR=1.71, 95%CI=1.38-2.13) and the presence of diseases (OR=1.86, 95%CI=1.52-2.87). Conclusion: This study provides important information about the health status among Albanian prisoners. There is an urgent need for Albania to make a significant progress in health services provision for prisoners, which constitute a particularly vulnerable population subgroup.