Improving the health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners: A multi-jurisdictional, mixed-methods study

More than 50,000 people are released from prison in Australia each year. Ex-prisoners experience high rates of mental illness, chronic disease, social disadvantage, drug dependence and premature death, yet almost nothing is known about how to improve their health outcomes.

Effective contact with community health services is likely to be central to improving health outcomes for ex-prisoners, yet virtually nothing is known about patterns of health service utilisation in ex-prisoners. This project will identify key health issues for Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners, and describe in detail their patterns of health service utilisation after release from prison. It will generate evidence-based recommendations for policy reform that are likely to simultaneously improve health and reduce reoffending in this highly marginalised group.

Aims

  1. Compare the health-related experiences of Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners in two Australian states, during the first two years post-release
  2. Identify barriers to, and facilitators of, access to appropriate community-based health care for Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners
  3. Explore the health consequences of prisoners’ exclusion from Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), both in custody and post-release
  4. Identify pathways linking health care utilisation, physical and psychiatric morbidity, mortality and recidivism among Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners
  5. Explore the impact of mental illness on physical health, health service utilisation and offending outcomes among Indigenous and non-Indigenous ex-prisoners

Project Leader: Professor Stuart Kinner (Griffith University)

Project Team: Professor David Preen (University of Western Australia); Professor Nick Lennox (University of Queensland); Professor Tony Butler (Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales); Ms Coralie Ober (University of Queensland); Professor Robert Power (Burnet Institute); Dr Robert Ware (University of Queensland)

Industry Partners: Queensland Corrective Services; Department of Corrective Services (Western Australia)

Project Value: $1,447,978

Type of Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grant

Dates: 2011-2015

Theme/s: Corrections and Sentencing

Get in touch

Find out more about research at GCI