Health Literacy Behind Bars: A Hidden Burden of Incarceration

Strany: 124 - 153

Jazyk: eng

The prison environment represents a unique social setting where structural constraints significantly influence individuals' access to resources, including health information. This study investigates health literacy among incarcerated women in a selected prison in the Czech Republic, a population often marginalized in both health care access and societal discourse. The research identifies how health literacy levels are shaped by individual socio-demographic factors, such as age, educational background, and perceived social status, and how these intersect with the restrictive institutional frameworks of imprisonment. Using the standardized HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire, this study provides a detailed analysis of the challenges inmates face in acquiring, understanding, and applying health-related information. The findings reveal systemic barriers, such as limited access to reliable health resources and opportunities for self-directed health improvement. At the same time, the results underscore the role of incarceration as a determinant of health inequalities, exacerbating existing disparities and creating new vulnerabilities. This paper argues that understanding health literacy through a sociological lens can contribute to broader discussions on prison reform and public health policy. The findings highlight the necessity of targeted interventions, such as educational programs tailored to the needs of female inmates, to mitigate the negative effects of incarceration on health outcomes. Such initiatives have the potential to foster empowerment and agency, thereby improving not only individual well-being but also prospects for successful reintegration into society.

ISO 690:

Lochmannová, A. 2025. Health Literacy Behind Bars: A Hidden Burden of Incarceration. In Sociológia - Slovak Sociological Review, vol. 57, no.2, pp. 124-153. 0049-1225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/sociologia.2025.57.2.5

APA:

Lochmannová, A. (2025). Health Literacy Behind Bars: A Hidden Burden of Incarceration. Sociológia - Slovak Sociological Review, 57(2), 124-153. 0049-1225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31577/sociologia.2025.57.2.5

Vydavateľ: The Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences