Addressing COVID-19 and Health Literacy Disparities Among Correctional Facility Residents Through Dialogue-Based Education

J Correct Health Care. 2024 Aug;30(4):275-284. doi: 10.1089/jchc.24.01.0010. Epub 2024 Jun 27.

Abstract

Carceral communities face heightened COVID-19-related risks while simultaneously experiencing medical mistrust and limited access to health information and services. Health education programs that incorporate dialogue-based, participatory learning models have been shown to motivate health behavior and increase health knowledge in carceral settings. To increase health literacy and change COVID-19-related health behavior among jail residents in the United States, a local health department developed a dialogue-based education program centered around COVID-19 prevention, misinformation, and navigating health care systems. Dialogue-based health information sessions took place in person in a county jail. Pre- and postsurveys gauged the sessions' influence on self-reported health literacy and behavior intention. Overall, 595 residents collectively attended 43 facilitated discussions. Key findings indicate that dialogue-based education can temper medical mistrust, influencing COVID-19 preventive behaviors and increasing health literacy in a carceral setting.

Keywords: carceral health; dialogic learning; health behavior; health education; health literacy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Health Education / organization & administration
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Health Literacy*
  • Humans
  • Jails
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prisons / organization & administration
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Trust
  • United States