Health status and health services use of female and male prisoners in provincial jail

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Examines and compares the health status and health service utilization of women and men in a provincial correctional jail in Atlantic Canada. Finds that prisoners experienced a number of physical and mental health issues and a large proportion used health services during incarceration. The quality and accessibility of health services played a significant role in how participants viewed health care in jail. Sex and gender are shown to influence the health status and use of health services among provincial prisoners. Females report more heath issues and poorer overall health, as well as more difficulties accessing health services during incarceration than male prisoners. Race also plays a role in health status and health service utilization. Aboriginal prisoners rate their overall physical and mental health poorer than non-Aboriginals. They also report a greater need for health services, but use them less than non-Aboriginal prisoners.