Evaluation of Keep Well in Prisons
About the study
In September 2010, ScotCen was commissioned by Health Scotland to evaluate the first six months of Keep Well in Prisons, a 12 month programme to provide health checks to prisoners aged 35 in Scottish prisons. The overall aim of the evaluation was to assess the delivery and impact of Keep Well in Prisons.
The programme was well-received by prisoners, prison staff and the Keep Well nurses with good participation by prisoners and evidence of modest attitude and behavioural change. While prisoners expressed a willingness to address their smoking and poor diet, there is a continuing need for: timely access to smoking cessation support in order to reinforce their post-health check motivation; greater opportunities for prisoners to influence their diet beyond what are perceived to be relatively limited and unappealing 'healthy' menu choices; and creative approaches to persuade prisoners who still have long sentences to serve of the value of the health checks.
Timeline
Potential policy impact
The study provides valuable learning to inform the national implementation of the Keep Well programme, and the future development of programmes to deliver healthcare within prisons. It provides key information for policymakers on facilitators and barriers to achieving health behaviour change among prisoners, prison staff and organisationally within the prison context.
Method
A scoping phase (including interviews and group discussions with key informants); quantitative analysis of national monitoring data; and qualitative research in four prisons comprising face-to face semi-structured interviews with 32 prisoners and 20 prison staff.
- NatCen Social Research
- 35 Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0AX
- Charity no. 1091768
