Incarceration as a Health Determinant for Sexual Orientation and Gender Minority Persons

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Sociomedical Sciences

Background:

• Sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations are disproportionately incarcerated compared to the general population.
• Incarcerated SGM individuals face elevated risks for severe health-related harms.
• Existing research has not systematically evaluated the health impacts of incarceration specifically for SGM individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the urgent need for public health research on the health consequences of incarceration for SGM persons.
• To provide a research roadmap for scholars studying SGM health within the carceral system.
• To encourage a nuanced understanding of how incarceration affects SGM health based on intersecting identities.

Main Methods:

• Documenting the overrepresentation of SGM individuals in correctional facilities.
• Identifying the most critical health risks pertinent to incarcerated SGM populations.
• Recommending stratified analyses to explore differential impacts across sexual orientation, gender identity, and race/ethnicity.
• Acknowledging methodological challenges in measurement and causal inference.
• Emphasizing the importance of healthcare access and quality during and after incarceration.

Main Results:

• SGM individuals are incarcerated at significantly higher rates.
• Specific health risks are particularly salient for this population during incarceration.
• Heterogeneity in health outcomes exists based on intersecting identities (sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity).
• Methodological hurdles in research include measurement issues and establishing causality.
• Access to and quality of healthcare are critical factors influencing health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for systematic research into the health effects of incarceration on SGM individuals.
• Future research should address methodological challenges and examine health disparities within the SGM incarcerated population.
• Understanding and improving healthcare access and quality for SGM individuals during and post-incarceration is essential.