The article by Nijhawan et al. in this issue of the Journa, of Women's Health evaluated the important aspect oi identifying preventive healthcare needs of incarceratec women. Unequal access to healthcare unfortunately continues to plague our nation's prison population, currently totaling > almost 2 million people. The overall incarceration rates of state and federal prisoners continue to rise; at midyeai 2007,509 of 100,000 U.S. residents were incarcerated, up frorr 480 of 100,000 at end of year 2003. By the end of year 2007 the number of female inmates has continued to rise since the end of year 2000 at a greater rate (3.2%) compared to malt inmates (2%). Although women account for approximatel} 7% of the total inmate population in state and federal prisons female incarceration rates reveal racial and ethnic differences similar to those of male inmates. Black women (with a prisor and jail rate of 348 per 100,000) were nearly two and a hal times more likely than Hispanic women (146 per 100,000) anc over 4.5 times more likely than white women (95 per 100,000 to be incarcerated in midyear 2007.
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