Prisons contain a sizable number of offenders with psychological impairments but surprisingly little is known about HIV/AIDS-related risk behavior among this sub-population of prisoners. The objective of this project is to develop theoretically informed models that specify the linkages between individuals, risk-taking behaviors, and their social structures. Social conditions (e.g., lack of education, poverty, lack of access to health care, joblessness) contribute to the context in which HIV/AIDS-related risk behaviors are triggered and sustained among offenders with psychological impairments. Analysis will be conducted on a previously collected data set of 500 newly incarcerated women prisoners in Texas, 80 of whom have self-reported histories of mental illness. The researchers will examine and compare the co-occurrence of physical and sexual victimization, substance abuse, and multiple HIV/AIDS-related risk behaviors between the two groups. The relationship of these risk behaviors to each other and to additional kinds of drug use will also be examined. Current prison health-related programming to meet the needs of the sample population and sub-population of psychologically-impaired women prisoners are inadequate. As more women offenders are incarcerated and do not obtain assistance to increase their self-efficacy, self-esteem, or other aspects of their """"""""human capital"""""""", they will no doubt go on to engage in high risk behaviors upon their return to the free community. These findings aim to provide health scholars and correctional health policy makers with baseline information on the physical and mental health characteristics of women prisoners to better inform policy making and planning. More specifically, findings from this study may have implications for health services research, the design and implementation of HIV/AIDS education programs for the mentally ill prisoners, and the linkage of such offender programs with community-based interventions.
| Mullings, J L; Marquart, J W; Brewer, V E (2000) Assessing the relationship between child sexual abuse and marginal living conditions on HIV/AIDS-related risk behavior among women prisoners. Child Abuse Negl 24:677-88 |
