Personal Health Libraries for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

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PROJECT SUMMARY Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people are survivors of interpersonal and structural trauma and have elevated rates of traumatic events and post-traumatic stress syndrome. The events that have led up to incarceration often include interpersonal violence, extreme stress and anxiety, and institutional and structural violence, including homelessness and poverty. Furthermore, the incarceration experience itself–with social isolation, harsh conditions, and exposure to physical violence–can be painful and traumatic. The initial data from the parent project that seeks to develop and refine a personal health library (PerHL) mobile app confirms that experiences of people with a history of incarceration in community and correctional settings are traumatic and influence perceptions of and interactions with technology. Therefore, trauma-informed care principles of digital design should be integrated into the design of personal health information technology for people with a history of incarceration. To increase acceptability of this technology, the proposed supplement seeks to develop and integrate a trauma-informed approach in the development of the PerHL mobile app for formerly incarcerated persons. The specific aims of this supplement are to: (1) assess facilitators and barriers of the development and use of personal health information technology for formerly incarcerated individuals using a trauma-informed approach, and (2) to develop and refine the PerHL using a trauma-informed approach. Ms. Amelea Lowery's long-term career goal is to become an independent researcher with expertise in addressing inequities in access to trauma informed care through the use of digital health tools. A comprehensive training plan was constructed in collaboration with her mentors to: (1) expand Ms. Lowery's research expertise to include development and testing of personal health information technologies, through a trauma informed lens, for formerly incarcerated individuals, (2) acquire skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis, (3) gain knowledge in the use of personal health information technology for mental health support and treatment in vulnerable populations, and (4) further develop skills in scientific writing and research dissemination through grant proposal development, manuscript preparation and publication, and research conference presentations. The planned research and training activities builds upon Ms. Lowery's prior foundational experience in community-based participatory research training. By completing the research and training activities, supported by a robust mentorship plan, Ms. Amelea Lowery will be well-positioned to reach her next training goal of entering a doctoral program. Consistent with NLM's mission and the purpose of the Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research, the mentorship, training, and research activities will provide Ms. Lowery the opportunity to receive the necessary training for her growth towards becoming an independent investigator focused on trauma-informed health interventions.