ABSTRACT
Historically, the health care needs of poor men and men of color have been neglected in the United States, resulting in significant disparities in health and health outcomes. Dedicated resources to address the particular needs of men are necessary to eliminate the health disparities that afflict underserved men. The following article compiles and shares some of the lessons learned as experienced by three Community Voices sites that have been active in men's health. Community Voices Miami's Overtown Men's Health Study, Denver Health Men's Health Initiative, and Baltimore Men's Health Center are working to address the health needs of men in some of the most vulnerable communities in the United States. Examples of community-specific assessment of men's needs, community engagement, service delivery, service to special populations, marketing, addressing sustainability, and advances in public policy to improve men's health are presented.
Subject(s)
Health Promotion , Colorado , Community Participation , Florida , Health Services Accessibility/economics , Health Services Research , Humans , Male , Maryland , Men's Health , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Needs Assessment , Primary Health Care , Program Development , Public HealthABSTRACT
Men who are incarcerated have higher morbidity rates than the general U.S. population and upon release most rely on the public sector to get their medical needs met. However, little is known about the health care needs, service utilization patterns, and costs of providing primary care to released inmates in an ambulatory setting. Using data from a primary care health center for uninsured men, health profiles and service use over a 12-month period is described for men newly released from prison (n=221). Health care needs and utilization were measured by medical diagnosis and primary care consultation rates. The results show that the newly released men studied had different service use patterns from that of the general population. The average cost of providing care was slightly higher than the center's average cost per individual for a man newly released from prison. The findings demonstrate the need for future research to support program planning of organizations seeking to meet the needs of people newly released from prison.
