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Abstract
Discussion Forum (0)
Introduction: Criminal justice involved (CJI) individuals, particularly women, suffer from worse health and healthcare compared to the general public. This is poorly understood, however, since few studies about CJI women focus on physical health or the particular burden of obstetric or gynecologic (OBGYN) health need. This review examines current literature about CJI women's health and healthcare, with emphasis on OBGYN diagnoses.
Methods: A PubMed literature review was conducted on articles published 2010-2020 using the following keywords: incarcerated women, health, and healthcare utilization. 140 publications were identified, with 66 meeting selection criteria for US-based research.
Results: Included publications discussed poorer health and higher barriers to care compared to CJI men and the general population, with emphasis on infectious disease, healthcare access and utilization, physical health, substance abuse, and mental health. Only 11 papers examined pregnancy and perinatal care, 5 studied contraception, and none discussed gynecologic disease. Identified themes include: 1) Healthcare barriers result in delayed diagnoses, increased likelihood of complicated presentation, and poorer outcomes; 2) Infectious diseases, substance abuse, and psychiatric illness are prevalent, comorbid, and under-treated; 3) Pregnant CJI women are less likely to receive prenatal care and more likely to experience illness, and; 4) Contraception access is an underutilized, cost-effective strategy to reduce rates of maternal and fetal morbidity.
Conclusion/Implications: This study demonstrates the paucity of research concerning the health needs of CJI women, with particular attention paid to the lack of OBGYN research. This review guides additional research needed to understand care gaps and identify opportunities for improvement for this at-risk group.
Methods: A PubMed literature review was conducted on articles published 2010-2020 using the following keywords: incarcerated women, health, and healthcare utilization. 140 publications were identified, with 66 meeting selection criteria for US-based research.
Results: Included publications discussed poorer health and higher barriers to care compared to CJI men and the general population, with emphasis on infectious disease, healthcare access and utilization, physical health, substance abuse, and mental health. Only 11 papers examined pregnancy and perinatal care, 5 studied contraception, and none discussed gynecologic disease. Identified themes include: 1) Healthcare barriers result in delayed diagnoses, increased likelihood of complicated presentation, and poorer outcomes; 2) Infectious diseases, substance abuse, and psychiatric illness are prevalent, comorbid, and under-treated; 3) Pregnant CJI women are less likely to receive prenatal care and more likely to experience illness, and; 4) Contraception access is an underutilized, cost-effective strategy to reduce rates of maternal and fetal morbidity.
Conclusion/Implications: This study demonstrates the paucity of research concerning the health needs of CJI women, with particular attention paid to the lack of OBGYN research. This review guides additional research needed to understand care gaps and identify opportunities for improvement for this at-risk group.
Introduction: Criminal justice involved (CJI) individuals, particularly women, suffer from worse health and healthcare compared to the general public. This is poorly understood, however, since few studies about CJI women focus on physical health or the particular burden of obstetric or gynecologic (OBGYN) health need. This review examines current literature about CJI women's health and healthcare, with emphasis on OBGYN diagnoses.
Methods: A PubMed literature review was conducted on articles published 2010-2020 using the following keywords: incarcerated women, health, and healthcare utilization. 140 publications were identified, with 66 meeting selection criteria for US-based research.
Results: Included publications discussed poorer health and higher barriers to care compared to CJI men and the general population, with emphasis on infectious disease, healthcare access and utilization, physical health, substance abuse, and mental health. Only 11 papers examined pregnancy and perinatal care, 5 studied contraception, and none discussed gynecologic disease. Identified themes include: 1) Healthcare barriers result in delayed diagnoses, increased likelihood of complicated presentation, and poorer outcomes; 2) Infectious diseases, substance abuse, and psychiatric illness are prevalent, comorbid, and under-treated; 3) Pregnant CJI women are less likely to receive prenatal care and more likely to experience illness, and; 4) Contraception access is an underutilized, cost-effective strategy to reduce rates of maternal and fetal morbidity.
Conclusion/Implications: This study demonstrates the paucity of research concerning the health needs of CJI women, with particular attention paid to the lack of OBGYN research. This review guides additional research needed to understand care gaps and identify opportunities for improvement for this at-risk group.
Methods: A PubMed literature review was conducted on articles published 2010-2020 using the following keywords: incarcerated women, health, and healthcare utilization. 140 publications were identified, with 66 meeting selection criteria for US-based research.
Results: Included publications discussed poorer health and higher barriers to care compared to CJI men and the general population, with emphasis on infectious disease, healthcare access and utilization, physical health, substance abuse, and mental health. Only 11 papers examined pregnancy and perinatal care, 5 studied contraception, and none discussed gynecologic disease. Identified themes include: 1) Healthcare barriers result in delayed diagnoses, increased likelihood of complicated presentation, and poorer outcomes; 2) Infectious diseases, substance abuse, and psychiatric illness are prevalent, comorbid, and under-treated; 3) Pregnant CJI women are less likely to receive prenatal care and more likely to experience illness, and; 4) Contraception access is an underutilized, cost-effective strategy to reduce rates of maternal and fetal morbidity.
Conclusion/Implications: This study demonstrates the paucity of research concerning the health needs of CJI women, with particular attention paid to the lack of OBGYN research. This review guides additional research needed to understand care gaps and identify opportunities for improvement for this at-risk group.
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