Preventive Health Project

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CCPHE to conduct three-year study on the holistic health and preventative practices of incarcerated individuals in the areas of mental health and addictions, cancer and blood-borne diseases

The UBC Collaborating Centre for Prison Health and Education (CCPHE) will be embarking on a three-year project funded by the Vancouver Foundation to promote holistic health and preventive practices for individuals with incarceration experience in the areas of mental health and addictions, cancer, and blood-borne infectious diseases. By sharing knowledge, supporting self-advocacy, and strengthening relationships, this project aims to employ community-based participatory processes to develop, pilot and evaluate self-management, cancer screening, and peer coaching tools. 

This project was developed in response to the findings of the CCPHE’s meetings in May and June 2011 with partners Long-term Inmates Now in the Community (L.I.N.C.) and Women in2 Healing (Wi2H). The groups met to determine areas of preventive health that the current project should explore. Key informant prison leavers were invited to participate in focus groups and individual interviews and identified three priority topics: cancer, hepatitis C/HIV and mental health and addictions. The findings indicated that many incarcerated persons developed feelings of alienation and ambivalence about the medical community. Barriers to care were reinforced by system complexities, mistrust, stigma and a feeling that “no one cared.”  Additionally, personal impediments, including a lack of hope, low self-esteem, unhealthy relationships, isolation, and trauma, left men and women with a feeling that health was not a priority area for them.

This project will involve ongoing consultations with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated persons in BC, policy-makers, academic researchers, community organizations and stakeholders, and health care providers. During the final phase of the project, the project team will evaluate and disseminate findings through traditional academic means, as well as community forums, and media channels that advance a national dialogue. In addition, the project advisory committee members will be encouraged to promote knowledge transfer and uptake into their respective communities and organizations.

Last Updated September 21, 2011