Addressing Healthcare Access for Incarcerated Women in the US Prison System

Presenter: Samaha Roban

Group Members: Tess Eva O'Shaughnessy, Rachel Paige Lopriore

Faculty Sponsor: Sofija Zagarins

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Public Health and Epidemiology

Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, Auditorium, A5

ABSTRACT

The US prison system has imperfect healthcare delivery measures, which have caused substantial health disparities and can deteriorate the health outcomes of the incarcerated population. Incarcerated women face gender-specific gaps when accessing healthcare in prison. A significant proportion of this population is of reproductive age, and they face challenges when trying to access basic levels of reproductive care.

Changes in federal health policies surrounding women’s health can heavily impact health outcomes for incarcerated women. For example, the overturning of Roe V Wade and restriction on abortion and contraceptives directly jeopardizes health outcomes for women. This is a reflection of the country’s structural deficiencies, where resources are not being implemented equitably and personal ideologies are prioritized more than scientific health data. 

Our goal is to address disparities in reproductive health outcomes of incarcerated women.​​ We will focus on developing feasible, evidence-informed recommendations to address this issue using the PERIE framework: Problem, Etiology, Recommendations, Implementation, and Evaluation. To inform our recommendations, we will conduct a systematic review of the literature and develop a practical implementation plan outlining how the recommendations could be put into practice, along with an evaluation plan to assess their effectiveness. 

It is essential to advocate for reform to improve reproductive health for incarcerated women, including maternal health outcomes, gender-specific preventative screenings, and improved access to menstruation products and care. Through collaborative efforts and systematic planning, incarcerated women can be provided with the support they require to fulfill their sentencing in a protected environment.