Citation

Baquero M, Zweig K, Angell SY, Meropol SB. Am. J. Public Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

At the time of this study, María Baquero, Kimberly Zweig, and Sharon B. Meropol were with the Health Access Equity Unit, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH), New York, NY. All authors were with the Division of Prevention and Primary Care, NYC DOHMH.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2019.305415

PMID

31944850

Abstract

Objectives. To quantify the association between personal and family history of criminal justice system (CJS) involvement (PHJI and FHJI, respectively), health outcomes, and health-related behaviors.Methods. We examined 2017 New York City Community Health Survey data (n = 10 005) with multivariable logistic regression. We defined PHJI as ever incarcerated or under probation or parole. FHJI was CJS involvement of spouse or partner, child, sibling, or parent.Results. We found that 8.9% reported only FHJI, 5.4% only PHJI, and 2.9% both FHJI and PHJI (mean age = 45.4 years). Compared with no CJS involvement, individuals with only FHJI were more likely to report fair or poor health, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heavy drinking, and binge drinking. Respondents with only PHJI reported more fair or poor health, asthma, depression, heavy drinking, and binge drinking. Those with both FHJI and PHJI were more likely to report asthma, depression, heavy drinking, and binge drinking.Conclusions. New York City adults with personal or family CJS involvement, or both, were more likely to report adverse health outcomes and behaviors.Public Health Implications. Measuring CJS involvement in public health monitoring systems can help to identify important health needs, guiding the provision of health care and resource allocation. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print January 16, 2020: e1-e7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2019.305415).

Language: en