NCJ Number
51549
Journal
HEALTH EDUCATION Volume: 7 Issue: 6 Dated: (NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 14-16,22
Date Published
1976
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM AT THE TENNESSEE PRISON FOR WOMEN ARE DESCRIBED AND ASSESSED.
Abstract
A MAJOR GOAL OF THE PROJECT WAS TO EXAMINE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FORCES AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION WITHIN A CORRECTIONS COMMUNITY. EXPERIENCES IN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT IN NORMAL COMMUNITIES WERE USED TO DEVELOP THE PRISON PROGRAM. STEPS IN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT INCLUDED PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION, RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION, DEVELOPMENT OF OBJECTIVES, CHOICE OF METHODS AND TECHNIQUES, AND EVALUATION. THE PRISON WAS TREATED AS A COMMUNITY, AND ITS HEALTH PROBLEMS AND BEHAVIOR WERE ASSESSED THROUGH EXAMINATION OF INMATES' FILES AND THE RESIDENT HANDBOOK, CONVERSATIONS WITH INMATES, ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS OF ESTABLISHED GROUPS, AND EXAMINATION OF THE MEDICAL RECORDS AND SYSTEM. PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PRIORITY AREAS FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE MISUSE OF INSTITUTIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES, POOR CONSUMER ACTIONS OF NEWLY RELEASED INMATES, POOR DENTAL HEALTH, ANXIETY AND MISINFORMATION AMONG PREGNANT RESIDENTS, LACK OF FIRST AID KNOWLEDGE, AND OBESITY. INTERNAL RESOURCES AMONG PRISON STAFF AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES INVOLVING COMMUNITY GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WERE IDENTIFIED. OBJECTIVES WERE DEVELOPED AND SPECIFIC OBSERVABLE AND MEASURABLE OUTCOMES WERE STATED. RESOURCE PEOPLE, RESIDENTS, AND STAFF WERE INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING THE OBJECTIVES. LEARNERS TOOK PART IN CHOOSING METHODS FOR EACH ACTIVITY IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. THE PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM WAS USED FOR COMMUNICATIONS BUT WAS OFTEN IGNORED. MOREOVER, COMPETITION FROM OTHER PRISON FUNCTIONS RESULTED IN SPORADIC AND UNPLANNED ATTENDANCE AT HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THE LACK OF INTEGRATION OF THE HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM WITH THE COMMUNITY'S OVERALL REWARD SYSTEM. EVALUATIONS COVERED PROCESS AND EFFECTIVENESS BUT ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES DUE TO THE WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AMONG THE INMATES AND THE LACK OF CONSISTENT PARTICIPATION IN CLASSES. PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION WAS A HELPFUL EVALUATION METHOD. OVERALL, THE HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT BOTH IMPROVED CONDITIONS IN THE INSTITUTION AND GAVE INDIVIDUALS THE CHANCE TO BECOME MORE AWARE AND INVOLVED IN THEIR OWN HEALTH. THE PROJECT'S EXPERIENCES COULD BE APPLIED TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND INDICATE THAT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION SHOULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN CORRECTIONS COMMUNITIES. NO REFERENCES ARE GIVEN.