OBJECTIVES: This research sought to describe the physical and psychological health and quality of life among older adult men incarcerated in a state prison and to examine the role of age and historical time between age cohorts. METHODS: Survey responses from male respondents incarcerated in a medium-security prison (N = 186) were described using frequencies and descriptive statistics; chi-square and analysis of variance analyses were used to examine differences between age cohorts. RESULTS: The average number of chronic health conditions for the sample was higher than those in similar samples; the proportion of older adults with four or more chronic conditions was 10% higher than the national average for adults age 65 or older. Depression and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptom severity scores were higher than those found in community-based samples. Significant differences were identified between cohorts regarding physical (number of chronic conditions, F = 12.48, p < .01); functional impairment, F = 4.28, p < .05) and psychological health (PTS symptom severity, F = 3.16, p < .05). CONCLUSION: Policy and practice implications are discussed including the expansion of on- and off-site services for older adults in prisons, enhanced accessibility, and the use of grief counseling and stress management strategies.
OBJECTIVES: This research sought to describe the physical and psychological health and quality of life among older adult men incarcerated in a state prison and to examine the role of age and historical time between age cohorts. METHODS: Survey responses from male respondents incarcerated in a medium-security prison (N = 186) were described using frequencies and descriptive statistics; chi-square and analysis of variance analyses were used to examine differences between age cohorts. RESULTS: The average number of chronic health conditions for the sample was higher than those in similar samples; the proportion of older adults with four or more chronic conditions was 10% higher than the national average for adults age 65 or older. Depression and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptom severity scores were higher than those found in community-based samples. Significant differences were identified between cohorts regarding physical (number of chronic conditions, F = 12.48, p < .01); functional impairment, F = 4.28, p < .05) and psychological health (PTS symptom severity, F = 3.16, p < .05). CONCLUSION: Policy and practice implications are discussed including the expansion of on- and off-site services for older adults in prisons, enhanced accessibility, and the use of grief counseling and stress management strategies.
Authors: Stephanie Grace Prost; Cynthia Golembeski; Vyjeyanthi S Periyakoil; Jalayne Arias; Andrea K Knittel; Jessica Ballin; Heather D Oliver; Nguyen-Toan Tran Journal: Int J Prison Health Date: 2022-04-05