Health Disparities and Incarcerated Women : A Population Ignored

Two thirds of women confined in local jails and state and federal prisons are Black, Hispanic, or members of other non-White ethnic groups.3 Despite the exponential increase in the number of female inmates, little attention has been given to their unique health concerns. Surveillance data clearly sh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 2008-09, Vol.98 (9 Suppl), p.S173-S175
Main Authors: BRAITHWAITE, Ronald L, TREADWELL, Henrie M, ARRIOLA, Kimberly R. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Health care policy
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Prisoners
Prisons
Public health
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Violence
Womens health
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Summary:Two thirds of women confined in local jails and state and federal prisons are Black, Hispanic, or members of other non-White ethnic groups.3 Despite the exponential increase in the number of female inmates, little attention has been given to their unique health concerns. Surveillance data clearly show that rates of psychiatric disorders are higher among incarcerated women than among women in the general population.10-12 If it were not for inmates' rights advocates (e.g., Prison Activist Resource Center, The Western Prison Project, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Legislative Action Coalition on Prison Health), correctional administrators would feel little pressure to advance the mental health of female inmates.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.98.Supplement_1.S173