JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The digitization of health care and social welfare services creates many opportunities for the rehabilitation of incarcerated people and the preparation for release from prison. Indeed, different digital platforms and technology solutions have been developed that offers multiple opportunities to handle private matters either by video conference, by email or by some other digital format during imprisonment. However, during imprisonment, access to digital health care and social welfare services is limited. Furthermore, one challenge is shortcomings in the digital skills and self-efficacy of incarcerated people.

Objective:

This article studies the significance of incarcerated people’s self-efficacy in terms of a sense of control over the use of digital health care and social welfare services.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study was conducted by questionnaire. The research data was collected from eleven prisons in different parts of Finland, and a total of 225 incarcerated people responded to the survey. The statistical analyses were conducted using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, 2-tailed t-test, linear regression analysis and the Hayes’ Bootstrapping method.

Results:

The results show the significance of both general and Internet-specific self-efficacy. These factors would appear to be more important for the use of digital health care and social welfare services than factors related to a person’s socio-economic background or sentences. However, age is negatively correlated with perceived control over the use of digital health care and social welfare services. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of support from family and friends as well as prison employees.

Conclusions:

The digitalization of prisons offers many opportunities, but special consideration should be given to how digitization of health care services and social welfare services responds to the needs of incarcerated people for their integration into society and the prevention of recidivism. Already during imprisonment, attention should be paid to strengthening the digital skills of incarcerated people, with support provided by prison employees. In addition to providing guidance on the use of individual digital services, the study recommends strengthening the general digital skills of incarcerated as well as life management skills.