Abstract
BACKGROUND: There are currently 2.2 million people incarcerated in U.S. prisons and jails, representing a 500% increase over the past 40 years. An emerging literature suggests the impact of mass incarceration extends beyond the prison, jail, or detention center to the families of incarcerated individuals. Less scholarship has considered consequences of parental incarceration for their children's physical health. METHODS: We conduct a critical review of the literature investigating an association between parental incarceration and children's physical health outcomes from infancy to adulthood. RESULTS: Studies varied substantially in study design, sample composition, and methodological approach. Most studies suggest an association between parental incarceration and adverse physical health outcomes. Evidence is more consistent for outcomes such as infant and child mortality, lower healthcare access, and negative health behaviors and more mixed for measures such as self-reported/general health. CONCLUSION: We propose a multilevel model of mechanistic pathways to stimulate future research on the potential pathways through which parental incarceration could influence children's physical health.