Improving Health Awareness among Incarcerated Wisconsinites through Information and Self-Empowerment

Providing incarcerated adults with educational materials about common health conditions to help them take ownership of their health

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Full Project Name:Improving Health Awareness among Incarcerated Wisconsinites through Information and Self-EmpowermentPrimary Community Organization:The CommunityPrimary Academic Partner:Laura Hawks, MD, MPH, MedicineAward Amount:$46,960

Award Date

January2024

Project Duration:18 months

Project Summary:

Direct and indirect consequences of experiencing incarceration can contribute to poor health outcomes, with individuals who are system-impacted experiencing higher rates of substance use disorders, mental illness, chronic non-communicable diseases, and infectious diseases and respiratory infections. In Wisconsin, more than 20,000 individuals are incarcerated, and another 63,000 live in the community on probation or parole.

Research has shown that health education can lead to significantly improved health outcomes for individuals exposed to incarceration. Through this project, a comprehensive series of health-related newsletters will be distributed to 10,000 individuals incarcerated in Wisconsin’s prison system, equipping them with knowledge to advocate for their care in prison and after they return to their community.

Outcomes & Lessons Learned:

Published and distributed three healthcare newsletters to readers in the Wisconsin prison system to provide accessible information on healthcare topics such as substance use and mental health, infectious diseases, and chronic conditions
Reached over 6,000 incarcerated readers who were able to gain new knowledge on the complexities of medical diagnoses and the challenges of accessing adequate healthcare while also providing feedback on suggested future areas of focus for subsequent newsletters
Utilized reader feedback to identify trends, such as the difficulty to articulate the incarcerated medical experience, to inform future approaches and programmatic design when providing medical education to individuals who have been/are incarcerated