Recreation as a Potential Stress-Relief Mechanism for People Incarcerated in Jail

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Psychology

Background:

• Incarceration presents significant stressors impacting long-term health.
• Limited autonomy within correctional facilities restricts opportunities for stress mitigation.
• Recreation time (rec-time) is a potential avenue for stress reduction in carceral settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the association between recreation time attendance and perceived stress levels.
• To investigate the impact of rec-time on stress among individuals incarcerated in a rural Southwestern U.S. jail.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional health study conducted from 2017 to 2018 at Coconino County Detention Facility.
• Participants (n=199) completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and reported rec-time attendance.
• Log-binomial regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios for rec-time attendance and stress.

Main Results:

• Individuals who never attended rec-time reported higher stress levels (PSS score > 8) compared to those who always attended.
• A statistically significant association was found between lower rec-time attendance and higher perceived stress (percentile rank = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.23, 3.52).

Conclusions:

• Regular attendance of recreation time may be linked to reduced stress among incarcerated populations.
• Further research is warranted to explore causal relationships and the impact of specific types of recreational activities on stress reduction.