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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
4093.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 2

Abstract #110578

Preventive Care for women in prison: A qualitative community health assessment of the Pap smear and follow-up treatment process at the Central California Women's Facility

Shelby McMillan, BA, Jennifer Hult, BA, Catherine Magee, BA, and Ruby-Asuncion Turalba, BA. Department of Health Education, San Francisco State University, 15344 Mendocino Street, San Leandro, CA 94579, 510-614-1995, shelbylocks@aol.com

Research confirms that health disparities in the United States persist along lines of race, class, and gender. Among women in prison, a population that is disproportionately women of color and at higher risk for negative health outcomes, this trend is apparent. The rising population of women prisoners, and their deleterious health status, demands greater public attention and an expansion of the depth and breadth of preventive healthcare for these women. As part of the Practicum Experience in San Francisco State University's Master of Public Health program, a team of four students conducted a community health assessment to explore reproductive healthcare at a California state women's prison. In partnership with Justice Now, a legal advocacy firm in Oakland, California, the students examined women prisoners' experience of the Pap smear process at this institution. Using various methods, this assessment revealed important strategies that can be employed to address current health disparities. First, by utilizing qualitative interviews, the assessment gives voice to a disenfranchised population of women typically excluded from discourse on public health programs and policy that impact their lives. Secondly, the interviews served to empower women prisoners to advocate for their health and revealed the opportunities for self- and community-advocacy within this community. The interdisciplinary collaboration between the SFSU assessment team and Justice Now provided an opportunity to exchange valuable skills, resources and knowledge and allowed for access to a hard-to-reach population. Finally, this assessment raised political consciousness by creating an opportunity for public health advocates to become public health activists.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to

Keywords: Prisoners Health Care, Participatory Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Social Justice & Public Health: Student Posters

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA