LAUSR

PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to compare the rates of chronic health conditions and lifestyle factors between Australian-born and overseas-born inmates and to uncover predictive relationships between lifestyle factors and health outcomes for both groups. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Data are presented from a cross-sectional study based on a sample of inmates from correctional sites in New South Wales (NSW). The inclusion of results here was guided by the literature relating to the healthy immigrant effect. FINDINGS Results indicate that a higher proportion of Australian-born inmates consumed alcohol at higher levels and were more likely to smoke on a daily or almost daily basis than overseas-born inmates. Australian-born inmates were also more likely than overseas-born inmates to have been diagnosed with cancer, epilepsy or hepatitis C. Physical activity predicted the number of diagnoses for Australian-born inmates while physical activity and smoking frequency predicted the number of diagnoses for overseas-born inmates. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Overseas-born inmates make up a considerable portion of the prison population in NSW. A better understanding of those health and lifestyle factors that distinguish them from Australian-born inmates provides important insight regarding health promotion and the planning of service provision for those providing health care in this space. ORIGINALITY/VALUE Comparison of the health of immigrant and native-born prison inmates has not been undertaken before and promises to provide important information regarding those factors that distinguish a sizeable minority in the prison population.