SGBA and the social determinants of health : Public health, human rights and incarcerated youth

• In this chapter, we focus on a sex- and gender-based analysis (SGBA) concerning young people incarcerated in state institutions in Sweden. We identify and discuss specific areas concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) wherein normative assumptions affect incarcerated young people’s sexual health and their access to sexual health services.Governments and related public health agencies must ensure, on both policy and practice levels, that inequalities in access to sexual health care and related sexual health outcomes for incarcerated young people are addressed. In Sweden, policies exist, including the use of a sex- and gender-based analysis, but clear action on the practice level is lacking. The national Public Health Agency has addressed young people in secure state care as a group in need of interventions, but in light of the analysis made, we see several challenges that need to be addressed: (1) the lack of SRHR competence in staff, (2) the organization of sexual and reproductive health care being unclear and risking the accessibility for incarcerated youth, and (3) the organization of secure state care builds on gender-stereotypical, heteronormative, and cis-normative ideas of youth sexualities and identities, which risks emphasizing existing vulnerabilities. This is evident both in the case of gender-separated wards and in the implicit ideas of youth sexualities and identities that organize the care. In conclusion, public health at all levels has a key role to play in working concretely to address the sex- and gender-based challenges to sexual health outcomes of youth in secure care.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Incarcerated young people

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

Sweden

Social determinants of health

Public health

Health and society

Hälsa och samhälle

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kap (subject category)