Do prisoners trust the healthcare system?

Area of Science:

• Correctional Healthcare
• Health Disparities
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Incarcerated populations have elevated healthcare needs but frequently receive substandard care.
• Racial and ethnic minorities, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), face systemic barriers and worse health outcomes.
• Stigma from the general healthcare system and inherent prison conditions complicate care delivery for justice-involved individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate healthcare system distrust among incarcerated individuals.
• To identify demographic factors associated with distrust in the carceral healthcare setting.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory study surveyed 200 incarcerated individuals.
• The Revised Health Care System Distrust scale, a 9-item measure with values and competence subscales, was utilized.

Main Results:

• Distrust showed a moderate positive association with age (r=0.150, p=0.034).
• The 33-42 year-old age group reported the highest overall and competence distrust.
• Non-Latinx White participants reported greater competence distrust than Latinx and Non-Latinx/Non-White participants.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary findings indicate significant healthcare system distrust among specific prisoner groups.
• This distrust represents a substantial barrier to receiving adequate healthcare during incarceration.
• Further research is necessary to understand and address this critical issue.