Assignment #5
PH 528
Directions: Read the “Incarceration Case Study”, which outlines policy efforts to address public health in prisons and among incarcerated populations. Respond to the following questions, with each response a
minimum of 150 words.
Due Date: Upload your assignment to Blackboard as a .doc or .docx file by
11:59 PM on Sunday 2/26.
Questions:
1. Is mass incarceration a public health issue? Does it contribute to/exacerbate health inequity in the U.S.? Provide reasoning for your responses.
2. Discuss the implications of compassionate release, which is a policy that allows people with terminal illnesses to be released from prison before their sentences are served.
3. The article discusses the role of clinicians, correctional health systems, and community health systems in improving public health in this vulnerable population. Which action discussed do you think will make the biggest public health impact?
4. When Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries are incarcerated, they are ineligible for benefits because of their incarceration status. What policies could be enacted to address this gap in coverage? You may discuss your personal opinions or the suggestions by the article authors.
5. How can we use lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to better the health of individuals who are currently incarcerated or recently released?
Case Study Source: Wang, E.A., Western, B., & Berwick, D.M. (2020). COVID-19, decarceration, and the role of clinicians, health systems, and payers: A report from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
JAMA,
324(22), 2257-2258.