NCJ Number
184170
Journal
Pediatrics Volume: 105 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2000 Pages: 286-291
Date Published
January 2000
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study identified the health needs of adolescent males incarcerated in a juvenile justice facility and compared their health profiles with those of male adolescents in the community.
Abstract
Cross-sectional surveys were conducted of male youths who were incarcerated (n=202) or in school (n=379). Questionnaires were self-administered and completed before admission health screens (incarcerated youth) or in classrooms (school sample). Health status was assessed by the Child Health and Illness Profile, Adolescent Edition, using scale and item means and by categorizing each youth's pattern of health into 1 of 13 mutually exclusive health profile types. The findings show that compared with school counterparts, incarcerated male youths had significantly worse health status, as demonstrated by poorer health and functioning scores on perceived well-being; self-esteem; physical discomfort; acute, chronic, and psychosocial disorders; family involvement; physical activity; interpersonal problem solving; risk behaviors; and academic performance. Three profile types -- high risks, high risks/low resilience, and worst health -- accounted for patterns of health for 69.8 percent of incarcerated youth compared with 37.3 percent of the age-matched school sample. Just 6.4 percent of incarcerated males were in the excellent/good health profile types, which contrasted with 34.2 percent of the age-matched school sample. The study concludes that the health profiles of incarcerated male youths were worse than those of male youths in school. The results indicate that rehabilitation programs must address incarcerated youth's basic health needs, as well as modify their risk and antisocial behaviors. 3 tables and 30 references