Well-Being in Older Adults with Incarceration History

Sample size: 1114 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Holaday Louisa, Stone Kimberly, Roy Brita, Williams Brie, Siu Albert, Wang Emily

Primary Institution: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Is there an association between personal or family history of incarceration and well-being among older adults?

Exposure to incarceration is linked to lower self-reported physical health and social well-being in older adults.

21% of respondents had been incarcerated.
63.3% of those without incarceration exposure reported thriving overall well-being.
47.7-55.7% of those with incarceration exposure reported thriving overall well-being.
Personal or family incarceration exposure was associated with lower odds of reporting excellent or very good physical health.
Lower odds of thriving social well-being were also associated with incarceration exposure.
There was a dose response relationship between longer durations of family member incarceration and lower well-being.

Older people who or whose family members have been in jail tend to feel less healthy and happy.

Cross-sectional study using data from the Family History of Incarceration survey.

Adults aged 55 or older.

p<0.008

p<0.05

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