An Introduction to Community and Primary Health Care

The provision of health care to people within correctional environments provides an essential service for a vulnerable and at-risk group in the community (Trimmer et al., 2019). Often, these people’s lives have been impaired by chronic health problems, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, poor relationships and high-risk behaviours such as unsafe sex, drug use and alcoholism (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2014; 2015; Davidson, 2015; Gooding et al., 2015; Hickey et al., 2014; Lafferty et al., 2018). The correctional population is extremely varied and complex and is composed of male and female adults and adolescents who are both the victims and perpetrators of crime (Herber, 2014). For many, incarceration provides an opportunity for mental and physical health issues to be assessed and appropriate health care initiated (Besney et al., 2018; Bouchaud, Brooks & Swan, 2018; Bouchaud & Swan, 2017; Lafferty et al., 2018). This chapter provides an overview of the correctional health system, highlighting the complex needs of this population and the important role of nurses within correctional environments. It also identifies some of the challenges of nursing in a correctional setting and the skills needed by nurses to work effectively in this environment.