An incarceration history is associated with worse access to and receipt of health care, according to a recent study published in JAMA Health Forum. The study, conducted by Jingxuan Zhao, M.P.H., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues, examined the association between incarceration history and access to health care in the United States.

The analysis included 7,963 individuals, out of which 586 had a history of incarceration, participating in the 2008 to 2018 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort. The findings revealed that individuals with a history of incarceration had lower percentages of having a usual source of care or receiving preventive services compared to those without a history of incarceration.

Specifically, the study found that individuals with a history of incarceration had lower percentages of receiving physical examinations, blood pressure tests, blood cholesterol level tests, blood glucose level tests, dental check-ups, and breast and colorectal cancer screenings. Even when adjusting for educational attainment and health insurance, the associations of incarceration history and access to care remained statistically significant for measures of having a usual source of care, blood cholesterol level test, and dental check-up.

The authors of the study emphasized the need for efforts to improve access to education and health insurance coverage for individuals with a history of incarceration in order to mitigate disparities in care. These findings shed light on the potential impact of incarceration history on access to health care and underscore the importance of addressing these disparities through targeted interventions.