A world-first study will look at improving the health literacy of people in NSW prisons, thanks to a $500,000 grant awarded to the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (Justice Health NSW).
The landmark study, which is being delivered in partnership with the Centre for Global Health and Equity, Swinburne University of Technology (SUT), is one of nine projects funded through the NSW Health Translational Research Grants Scheme (TRGS).
Justice Health NSW, Chief Executive, Wendy Hoey said the grant would help support research which would could have big impacts for patients in Correctional Centres.
“Justice Health NSW has been at the forefront of research into the health literacy of people in prisons for several years. This grant will allow us to continue to be a world leader in the field that drives improvements in healthcare for people in contact with the criminal justice system.”
“By listening to the voices of Aboriginal people in custody and implementing their ideas to enhance health and wellbeing, this project has the great potential to mitigate deaths in custody and improve outcomes for the entire prison population.”
The TRGS funds competitive grants for projects that will translate into better patient outcomes and health service delivery, while also building research capability in NSW Health.
People in NSW prisons, particularly people who identify as Aboriginal, have poorer health outcomes than those in the broader community, and recent research shows they also have lower health literacy which represents how people access, utilise, review, learn and use health information and services to look after their health.
The new study conducted with this grant will identify and design new approaches of working with people in prison and their service providers to improve overall care, including managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes.
The research team is led by Chief Investigators Dr. Julia Bowman (JHNSW) and Professor Richard Osborne (SUT), with team members Dr. Christina Cheng (SUT), proud Ngunnawal, Wiradjuri woman Caron Shaw (Clinical Excellence Comission), proud Gomeroi man Grantley Creighton (JHNSW), and PhD scholar Scott Gill (JHNSW/SUT).
