Challenging the Health Impacts of Incarceration: The Role for Community Health Workers

With 2.1 million Americans behind bars, the United States incarcerates more people per capita than any other country in the world. This article examines the ways mass incarceration contributes to poor health, particularly within poor communities and communities of color, which already bear a disproportionate burden of ill-health and disease. We explore the multiple health impacts of incarceration and the ways current criminal justice policies contribute to health disparities. We discuss the role of Community Health Workers in mitigating the effects of incarceration by fostering social support, linking formerly incarcerated individuals with existing community services and acting as agents for social change

Nowhere to go: How stigma limits the options of female drug users after release from jail

Background Drug and alcohol using women leaving prison or jail face many challenges to successful re-integration in the community and are severely hampered in their efforts by the stigma of drug or alcohol use compounded by the stigma of incarceration. Methods This qualitative study is based on individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 17 women who had recently left jail about the challenges they faced on reentry. Results Our analysis identified three major themes, which are related by the overarching influence of stigma: survival (jobs and housing), access to treatment services, and family and community reintegration. Conclusion Stigma based on drug use and incarceration works to increase the needs of women for health and social services and at the same time, restricts their access to these services. These specific forms of stigma may amplify gender and race-based stigma. Punitive drug and social policies related to employment, housing, education, welfare, and mental health and substance abuse treatment make it extremely difficult for women to succeed

Nowhere to go: How stigma limits the options of female drug users after release from jail

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Drug and alcohol using women leaving prison or jail face many challenges to successful re-integration in the community and are severely hampered in their efforts by the stigma of drug or alcohol use compounded by the stigma of incarceration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This qualitative study is based on individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 17 women who had recently left jail about the challenges they faced on reentry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our analysis identified three major themes, which are related by the overarching influence of stigma: survival (jobs and housing), access to treatment services, and family and community reintegration.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Stigma based on drug use and incarceration works to increase the needs of women for health and social services and at the same time, restricts their access to these services. These specific forms of stigma may amplify gender and race-based stigma. Punitive drug and social policies related to employment, housing, education, welfare, and mental health and substance abuse treatment make it extremely difficult for women to succeed.</p

Community Reentry: Perceptions of People with Substance Use Problems Returning Home from New York City Jails

Each year about 100,000 people return to New York City communities from municipal jails. Although about four-fifths report drug or alcohol problems, few have received any formal drug treatment while in jail. Researchers and practitioners have identified a number of policies related to corrections, income, housing, and drug treatment that may be harmful to the successful reintegration of people leaving jail. In order to explore the challenges to successful community reentry, six focus groups and one in-depth interview were conducted with 37 men and women who had been released from jail or prison in the last 12 months. Participants were asked to describe their experiences prior to and immediately following release from jail. Findings suggest that many people leaving jail are not prepared for release and, upon release, face a myriad of obstacles to becoming healthy, productive members of their communities. We discuss the implications of these findings for programs and policies that promote community reintegration of individuals returning from correctional facilities.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40303/2/Van Olphen_Community Reentry - Perceptions of People_2006.pd

Religious involvement and health among African American women on the east side of Detroit.

A significant body of research suggests that religious involvement is related to better mental and physical health (Chatters, 2000). Data presented in this dissertation were collected as part of the East Side Village Health Worker Partnership (ESVHWP), a community-based participatory research project addressing the social determinants of health on Detroit's East Side. This dissertation comprises the following three studies: a quantitative investigation of the relationship between religious involvement and health; a qualitative investigation to enhance understanding of the quantitative findings related to religious involvement and health; and a qualitative investigation to facilitate a more in-depth understanding of the influence of religiosity and spirituality on individuals' lives and health. The quantitative sample includes 679 African American. Religious involvement was assessed by a multidimensional construct consisting of subjective religiosity (importance of faith in one's daily life), organizational religious involvement (frequency of church attendance), and nonorganizational religious involvement (frequency of prayer). Results of multivariate analyses show that, as hypothesized, respondents who prayed less often reported a greater number of depressive symptoms (p < .001), after controlling for sociodemographic variables and physical functioning. While there were no significant associations between the frequency of church attendance and the health outcomes for the full sample, analyses conducted with the sample of church members only (n = 389) revealed a significant association between frequency of church attendance and both depressive symptoms and self-reported general health. The frequency with which church members receive help from fellow congregationalists partially mediates the association between church attendance and depressive symptoms, and between church attendance and general health. Analysis of qualitative data from in-depth interviews conducted with residents on Detroit's east side enhanced understanding of these and other results of the quantitative study by, for example, illustrating the use of individual and collective prayer in times of crisis. The qualitative analyses also indicate distinctions, as well as similarities, in participants' definitions of religiosity and spirituality. Implications of these and other related findings for research and practice are discussed.Ph.D.Ethnic studiesHealth and Environmental SciencesPublic healthPublic policySocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/132907/2/9991003.pd

A Case Study of First Steps in a Policy Change Campaign Guided by Community Based Participatory Research

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/40263/2/Olphen_Advocating Policies to Promote Community Reintegration_2003.pd

Development and Evaluation of a Training Program for Community-Based Participatory Research in Breast Cancer

This paper describes the development and feasibility of the Community Based Research Infrastructure to Better Science (CRIBS) training. The goal of this training program was to help new or existing community-academic teams to build strong partnerships and successfully develop together fundable research projects focused on breast cancer environmental causes and disparities. A comprehensive mixed-methods participatory approach was utilized to assess the training. Twenty-two community-academic teams applied for the training program; twelve teams were enrolled. All teams completed the training and subsequently submitted research applications for funding. All components of the training received high ratings and positive qualitative comments. Self-rated competency in all of the learning domains increased during the training. Four (33%) of teams were successful in their first attempt to garner research funding, and six (50%) were eventually successful. The evaluation of CRIBS found it to have successfully achieved all four goals of the training: (1) Twelve new CBPR (community-based participatory research) teams, (2) improved knowledge about CBPR and science, (3) twelve submitted grant proposals in the first year, and (4) six (50%) successfully funded research projects