Health literacy strengths and challenges of people in New South Wales prisons: a cross-sectional survey using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ).

BACKGROUND: Health literacy is an important factor for enabling people to manage their health and live long fulfilling lives. People in prison are frequently from marginalised communities, often out of reach of conventional community based health organisations, and have poorer health outcomes. It is essential to understanding the health literacy profiles of people in prison, and its contribution to the well-established health inequities and outcomes of this population. This study aimed to use a multi-dimensional health literacy measurement tool to describe the strengths and challenges of adults incarcerated in NSW prisons. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted for people in prison across 14 publicly operated metropolitan prisons. Data were collected from 471 participants using the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Participant characteristics and health conditions were also collected. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Effect sizes (ES) for standardised differences in means were used to describe the magnitude of difference between participant characteristic groups. RESULTS: Participants' median age was 38.0 (range 19 - 91) years. Males comprised 81% of the sample, 21% identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and 53% reported a health problem. People in prison had lower scores for all nine HLQ scales when compared to the general Australian population. Small to medium ES were seen for mean differences between most demographic groups. Compared to males, females had lower scores for several of the HLQ scales including 'having sufficient information to manage health' (ES 0.30 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.07, 0.53]), 'ability to actively engage with health care professionals' (ES 0.30 [95% CI 0.06, 0.53]), 'navigating the healthcare system' (ES 0.30 [95% CI 0.06, 0.53]), and, 'ability to find good health information' (ES 0.33 [95% CI 0.10, 0.57]). Differing health literacy scale scores with small to medium ES were found when comparing participants by legal status. Mainly small ES were seen when comparing other participant characteristic groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the health literacy strengths and challenges for people in NSW prisons. These findings highlight the important role health literacy could have in addressing health disparities in this vulnerable population and can inform prison health services.

Aboriginal mothers in prison in Australia: a study of social, emotional and physical wellbeing.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal mothers in prison. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey, including a Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (5-item version) administered to Aboriginal women who self-identified as mothers. RESULTS: Seventy-seven Aboriginal mothers in New South Wales (NSW) and 84 in Western Australia (WA) participated in the study. Eighty-three per cent (n=59) of mothers in NSW were in prison for drug-related offences, 64.8% (n=46) of mothers in WA were in prison for offences committed under the influence of alcohol. Sixty-eight per cent (n=52) of mothers in NSW and 35% (n=28) of mothers in WA reported mental health problems. Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) component scores of SF-12 varied for mothers in NSW and WA. Mothers in NSW experienced poorer health and functioning than mothers in WA (NSW: PCS 49.5, MCS 40.6; WA: PCS 54.4, MCS 48.3) and high levels of psychological distress (NSW: 13.1; WA 10.1). CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal mothers in prison have significant health needs associated with physical and mental health, and psychological distress. Implications for public health: Adoption of social and emotional wellbeing as an explanatory framework for culturally secure healthcare in prison is essential to improving health outcomes of Aboriginal mothers in prison in Australia.