Digital health screening for older adults in NSW prisons

A ground-breaking qualitative study from UNSW offers fresh insight into the rollout of digital health screening technologies for older inmates.

Underpinned by a critical realist philosophical approach and a robust explanatory model, the research delves into the complex interplay between human experience and technical systems within correctional settings.

The study focused on older adults in NSW prisons who had undergone digital health assessments.

Researchers conducted seven in-depth focus groups across various prison sites, capturing the perspectives of inmates, as well as nurses and psychologists working in justice healthcare and the correctional system, about their experiences with the digital screening process.

By using a qualitative methodology informed by critical realism, the study aimed to reveal not only observable outcomes but also the deeper social, organisational, and technological mechanisms that influence how these digital tools are implemented and experienced.