Trialing Over-the-Counter Mild Pain Medication Access in Queensland Prisons: The Experience of Women Prisoners

In Queensland, Australia, adults in custodial facilities do not have discretionary access to over-the-counter (OTC) medications for mild pain relief and management. This study evaluated a trial allowing prisoners in male and female units at a regional Queensland correctional facility to purchase OTC medications from the prison store. The trial aligned with human rights legislation, international obligations, and the requirement for community equivalence of health care for prisoners. Queensland is the first jurisdiction in Australasia to undertake such a trial. We analyze the results from focus groups and surveys, comparing male and female prisoner experiences, by applying a gender impact assessment to examine pain management as a gender and health rights issue. Pain is gendered, and women’s pain is often downplayed, not taken seriously, or not treated appropriately. Prisoners reported that being able to manage their pain relief gave them agency and decision-making ability that affirmed their human and health rights while living in a controlling environment. While this initiative has a positive impact on gender equality—because women are better able to self-manage pain—there are continuing opportunities to improve women’s health care and address challenges of equivalence and the gender pain gap in prison systems.