Health-care needs of older women prisoners: Perspectives of the health-care workers who care for them.

ABSTRACT

The proportion of older incarcerated women is growing, yet little is known regarding their health-care needs. Using focus group methodology, this study sought to elucidate the unique health-care needs of older women prisoners through the perspectives of correctional health-care providers. Three organizing themes emerged regarding the health of older women prisoners (a) the meaning of being "older" in the prison setting; (b) challenges impacting correctional health-care workers' care delivery; and (c) unmet health-care-related needs. Correctional health-care workers' insights can provide guidance regarding how to optimize the health of the increasing population of older women prisoners.