213175 Women's Health in Detention

Monday, November 9, 2009: 12:45 PM

Meghan Rhoad, JD , Human Rights Watch, New York, NY
Women who are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) face multiple challenges in securing medical care. The medical system of ICE fails to meet community standards for obstetric, gynecological and reproductive health. Our organization has interviewed women detained in multiple ICE detention centers and reported on widespread, systemic problems with the medical care provided to these detainees. Problems included shackling pregnant detainees, failing to follow up on signs of breast and cervical cancer and failure to provide counseling for survivors of violence. Based on this investigation, Human Rights Watch has formulated specific recommendations for improving medical care for women detainees, including medical parole for women who are ill, nursing and pregnant as well as improving existing detention standards and making those standards enforceable as federal laws.

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the medical challenges faced by women detained by ICE. 2. Assess the best methods for improving the health of women detained by ICE.

Keywords: Women's Health, Immigrants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Recent research into women's health problems in detention
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Immigrant Detention and Public Health: Ensuring Adequate Medical Care for a Vulnerable Population
See more of: Medical Care