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HEALTH INEQUITIES AND OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS
Khurshan, Fabliha N
Khurshan, Fabliha N
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2024-05
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Urban Bioethics
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http://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/10219
Abstract
There are about 2 million adults incarcerated. Of those, approximately 62% of women and 51% of men have a child less than 18 years old—that is about 4% of the US population (Ghandnoosh, Trinka, and Barry 2024; Glaze and Maruschak 2010; Turney and Goodsell 2018). In fact, if parental incarceration was considered a chronic health condition, it would be the second most prevalent childhood chronic condition in the U.S. (Axelson and Boch 2019). These children often already live in impoverished areas and the parental incarceration worsens their financial, educational, physical, and mental situations, forcing them to grow up faster and work harder (Miller 2006). They are at increased risk of facing more ACEs in childhood and by extension, at increased risk of morbidity and mortality in childhood and adulthood. I did a literature review on the various physical and mental health inequalities these children face. Using that as the foundation, I highlight the social responsibility towards these children. The literature review showed that children are more likely than their peers without incarcerated parents to have higher rates of infant mortality, increased BMI, hypercholesterolemia, asthma, migraines, hypertension, high-sensitivity-c-reactive-protein, ADHD, ODD, conduct and substance use disorder, and lower life expectancy (Holaday et al. 2023; Austin, White, and Kim 2022; Roettger and Boardman 2012; Lee, Fang, and Luo 2013a; Tung et al. 2023; Sundaresh et al. 2021; Gifford et al. 2019). I believe there are many players responsible for the physical and mental well-being of these children: themselves, family, society, and government. They are responsible for seeking help, and family members should prioritize their individual well-being. Society should encourage destigmatization, and the government should decrease costs for communication, and increase access to healthcare for the children and caregivers. These various agents need to work together to ensure the best health for the children of our future.
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