Quality of life among female prisoners in Serbia: General findings from the PrisonLIFE project

Milićević, Milena (2025) Quality of life among female prisoners in Serbia: General findings from the PrisonLIFE project. In: Women in modern society: challenges and opportunities / X international scientific conference "Social deviations". Centar modernih znanja, Banja Luka, pp. 286-296. ISBN 978-99976-073-3-1

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Abstract

Continued evaluation of quality of life is important for developing timely interventions, as research consistently shows that the well-being of female prisoners and rehabilitation outcomes are closely connected. Conducted within the PrisonLIFE project (No. 7750249, Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia), this study aimed to explore general dimensions of the quality of life of incarcerated women in Serbia. Data were collected using the Serbian version of the WHOQOL-BREF instrument, administered to 88 inmates at the Correctional Institution for Women in Požarevac. The average participant age was 39 years 7 months (SD = 10 years 10 months, range = 21–74), with an average sentence length of 6 years and 3 months (SD = 7 years 5 months, range = 2 months–40 years). A majority were first-time offenders (80%), housed in the closed ward (74%), and Serbian nationals (94%). The most common convictions were for drug-related offences (32%), followed by aggravated murder (11%) and murder (8%). Most had completed secondary education (48%), and nearly half had a history of drug use (47%). Among the WHOQOL-BREF domains, the Environment received the lowest mean score (M = 11.22), followed by Physical Health (M = 12.97). The highest rated domains were Psychological Health (M = 13.78) and Social Relationships (M = 13.90). Item level analysis showed the lowest satisfaction in areas related to sexual life, access to healthcare services, and the healthiness of the physical environment and living conditions. Conversely, inmates reported higher satisfaction with social support from friends, acceptance of their physical appearance, physical mobility and the ability to perform daily living activities. In line with the recognised need for gender-specific approaches in prison health, these findings point to specific concerns regarding institutional living conditions and healthcare access. Therefore, there is a need for improved environmental standards and gender-sensitive healthcare policies in the Serbian prison system.

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