Understanding the Experience of Functional Decline while Incarcerated

• In Event: Roundtable: Mental Health

Abstract

In order to better understand the ways in which aging related decline is experienced in an incarcerated setting, we examine the patterns of age-related decline based on the onset of decline (i.e., age 50 versus 55 or 65). Previous studies have shown that incarceration is linked to accelerated aging, with individuals aged 55 in correctional facilities experiencing health issues similar to those of 65-year-olds in the general population, particularly in relation to conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (Aday, 2012; Duliise et al., 2022). Utilizing data from the 2016 wave of the Survey of Prison Inmates, this study explores the connection between age-related illnesses and the onset of symptoms to help understand functional decline.

Authors

• Chivon Fitch, University of Tampa

• Brandon C. Dulisse, University of Tampa