Bethany Muller
Research Mentor: Grace Noppert
Mentor Department: Survey Research Center, ISR
Author(s): Bethany Muller, Grace Noppert
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Abstract
Older adults are the fastest growing population in U.S. prisons, yet research on neurocognitive health in incarcerated populations has primarily focused on men. This study examines the prevalence and predictors of cognitive disability among incarcerated women aged 55 and older in the United States using data from the 2016 Survey of Prison Inmates (SPI), which is a nationally representative dataset collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The analytic sample included 507 incarcerated women aged 55 and older. Cognitive disability was self-reported, and defined as a serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. Logistic regression and robust Poisson regression models were used to examine associations between cognitive disability and life course factors, including early life disadvantage, education, homelessness, and mental disorder diagnosis. Approximately 29% of women in the sample reported a cognitive disability, and over half had received a professional mental disorder diagnosis. Mental disorder diagnosis was the strongest predictor of cognitive disability, and early life disadvantage was also significantly associated with higher odds of cognitive disability. These findings highlight the need for improved cognitive screenings and expanded mental health services within correctional facilities for aging incarcerated populations, and suggest that incarceration health policy should better account for the cognitive needs of older adults in prison. Future research will examine whether cognitive disability is associated with disciplinary outcomes in prison, although our preliminary analyses suggest that severe punishments have low counts among our sample of older incarcerated women, and may be restricted by the survey design.
