Training on Corrections and Health Within U.S. Academic Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Mass incarceration leads to significant health inequities.
• Healthcare provider knowledge of correctional health is limited.
• Educational programs for health professions on correctional health need improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of academic health professions educational programs on correctional health in the United States.
• To identify gaps in correctional health education.
• To guide future curricular improvements.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of peer-reviewed studies (1975-2021).
• Studies coded for characteristics, learner outcomes (Kirkpatrick model), and alignment with professional position statements.
• Analysis of content gaps in correctional health curricula.

Main Results:

• 27 articles were included in the review.
• Learner outcomes primarily measured "reactions" (93%) and "learning" (52%), with minimal assessment of "behaviors" (11%) or "long-term outcomes" (0%).
• Significant content gaps identified in prevalent conditions, ethical/legal considerations, and healthcare system administration.

Conclusions:

• Current correctional health educational programs have significant gaps.
• Existing evaluations focus on lower levels of learning, neglecting behavioral and long-term impacts.
• Addressing workforce training is crucial but insufficient for achieving health equity for incarcerated populations.