International Journal of Prisoner Health最新文献

Purpose: This commentary aims to reveal how a steering committee has effectively responded to advancing accessibility to harm reduction resources, hepatitis C virus (HCV) policy and health strategies within adult prison settings in New South Wales (NSW).

Design/methodology/approach: By reviewing the audit approach taken by the of the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network and Corrective Services New South Wales Harm Reduction Reference Group (JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG), this commentary emphasizes the committee's success in identifying contemporary harm reduction issues that affect people in custodial settings. This commentary is a compilation of data gathered through the 2018 JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG audit and corresponding program materials. Conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the working group's audit were drawn by critically appraising the JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG's Final Audit Report (JHFMHN and CSNSW, 2018) with reference to current harm reduction literature.

Findings: The HRRG has provided leadership, professional representation and strategic advice on the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of best practice harm reduction strategies in prison settings. The HRRG developed and maintained networks and information exchange between the state-wide HCV health network, corrections services and the NSW harm reduction sector at large. Public health partnerships and advocacy that involve all key players, such as the HRRG, will continue to be crucial to remove barriers to enhancing HCV harm reduction measures especially in NSW prison settings.

Social implications: Strategies such as primary prevention and treatment can mitigate the spread of HCV in the custodial system. This audit of access to harm reduction resources was conducted on behalf of the diverse group of professionals, scholars and stakeholders comprising the HRRG. This audit and other advocacy efforts of this committee can facilitate future access to quality healthcare and the necessary policies required to support a healthier prison population at large.

Originality/value: Collaborating with health authorities, researchers and social service workers can enable prison health-care systems to be guided by wider health workforce programs and public health standards. This collaboration can reduce the professional isolation of custodial health-care staff and promote a balanced approach to harm reduction policies by ensuring an equitable focus on both health and security imperatives.

Purpose: Incarcerated women are a vulnerable population in terms of sexual and reproductive health. In French Guiana, most incarcerated women come from unsafe environments and are incarcerated because of drug trafficking. Medical follow-up processes used in prison (medical assessment on arrival, and then two half-days per week upon request but without an obstetrician-gynecologist) does not allow for a thorough assessment of the impact of incarceration on women prisoners' health to take place. In the absence of data, the purpose of this study was to describe incarcerated women's experiences in relation to sexual and reproductive health.

Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted among French-speaking adult women who had been incarcerated for at least four months in a French Guianan prison. Menstruation, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted infections and sexuality were described by means of interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Findings: A total of 14 women were interviewed. They suffered from menstrual cycle disorders, poor hygiene and menstrual insecurity. They appeared to have emotionally disinvested sexuality. However, intra-prison sexual activity existed for some (masturbation, conjugal prison visits, homosexual intercourse between fellow prisoners). Homosexual relations were a source of discrimination. Being pregnant while incarcerated was viewed negatively. A lack of knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and high-risk behaviors such as piercing and tattooing practices were widespread.

Originality/value: Incarceration is a vulnerable time for women's sexual and reproductive health. Sexual activity exposes women to risks and discrimination that should be taken into account in a multidisciplinary approach adapted to the prison environment.

Purpose: In spite of the vulnerability of prisoners to depression and their increased number, the issue has not been thoroughly investigated in Ethiopia. In particular, the determining factors of depression have not been exhaustively identified. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among prisoners in Mizan prison institute, southwest Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 6-27, 2020. A total of 340 randomly selected prisoners were included. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-nine and participants were considered to be in a state of depression if they scored five and above. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between the outcome variable (depression) and the independent variables (factors). The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the strength of association. The final significance was decided using a p-value < 0.05.

Findings: The prevalence of depression was 29.9% (95% CI: 25%, 34.8%). Prisoners whowere not participating in the duty work of the prison had 55% (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.93) less odds of depression compared to those who were participating in the duty work. Similarly, physically active respondents had 81% (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.35) less odds of depression than physically inactive respondents. Moreover, undernourished participants had two times (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.82) higher odds of depression than normal participants.

Research limitations/implications: Considering their risk of exposure compared to the general population and the limitations of cross-sectional study design, special care should be provided to the prisoners' mental health. Moreover, priority attention should be given to the undernourished, physically inactive and those who are participating in duty work in the prison.

Originality/value: This study demonstrated important and modifiable factors associated with prisoners' depression. It also evaluated the contribution of new variables (such as participation in the duty work, nutritional status and physical activity) that were not considered in previous local studies.

Purpose: In the past decade, there has been growing awareness of well-being and its importance and an increase in the development of activities or programmes aimed at improving well-being. The purpose of this study is to investigate what well-being programmes were being offered to prisoners in England and Wales and what benefits and other outcomes were experienced.

Design/methodology/approach: The study used a mixed-methods exploratory design in two phases. Phase 1 was a questionnaire survey of all adult prisons in England and Wales, completed by prison staff. In Phase 2, a sample of survey respondents took part in in-depth interviews.

Findings: The programmes identified in Phase 1 included physical activities, creative arts, mindfulness, horticulture, reading and animal-assisted activities. Prison staff reported a range of universally positive outcomes shared by all programmes, including enthusiasm from prisoners, enjoyment of the activities and being able to do something different from the usual prison routine. However, in Phase 2, interviewees rarely mentioned direct health and well-being benefits. The impetus for programmes was varied and there was little reference to national policy on health and well-being; this reflected the ad hoc way in which programmes are developed, with a key role being played by the Well-being Officer, where these were funded.

Originality/value: The literature on well-being programmes in prisons is limited and tends to focus on specific types of initiatives, often in a single prison. This study contributes by highlighting the range of activities across prisons and elucidating the perspectives of those involved in running such programmes.

Purpose: Few case studies in the literature report on adult patients with intentional foreign body ingestion. Prisoners deliberately ingest foreign bodies, such as cylindrical alkaline batteries and razor blades, to achieve hospitalization or commit suicide. The purpose of this paper is to present a case of deliberate ingestion of batteries and razor blades by an inmate.

Design/methodology/approach: The authors present a case of an incarcerated man in Greece, who intentionally ingested three cylindrical alkaline batteries and three razor blades wrapped in aluminum foil.

Findings: The patient was treated conservatively with serial radiographs and was subsequently discharged without complication. This paper discusses the complications and examine the current guidelines available.

Originality/value: To best of authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a simultaneous ingestion of batteries and razor blades.

Purpose: This study aims to measure the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), its association with imprisonment status and to document the treatment success rate (TSR) among prisoners in Songkhla province, Southern Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in five prisons in Songkhla province, including all prisoners in the fiscal of year 2019, who had an annual chest radiography (CXR) screening result. Information of prisoners who had been imprisoned from 1 October 2018 to 30 September 2019, were reviewed for PTB diagnosis. Imprisonment status and other associated factors with PTB were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.

Findings: The prevalence of PTB was 2.72%. Prisoners having new or transfer-in status were more likely to have PTB. Those aged 40-80 years, who had smoked for ten years or more, or who were underweight, had higher odds of having PTB. TSR among prisoners with PTB in this study was 94.9%.

Originality/value: The prevalence of PTB among prisoners having annual CXR screening was high. Detection of PTB was higher among new or transfer-in prisoners; therefore, the CXR for PTB screening before admission to prison should be performed to prevent transmission to other prisoners.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine effective diagnostic and treatment pathways for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in prison settings given the high prevalence of ADHD and comorbidities in the prison population.

Design/methodology/approach: Two studies were carried out in two separate prisons in London. Firstly, data were collected to understand the prevalence of ADHD and the comorbidities. The second study used quality improvement (QI) methodology to assess the impact of a diagnostic and treatment pathway for prisoners with ADHD.

Findings: Of the prisoners, 22.5% met the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Nearly half of them were screened positive for autistic traits, with a higher prevalence of mental disorders among prisoners with ADHD compared to those without. The QI project led to a significant increase in the number of prisoners identified as requiring ADHD assessment but a modest increase in the number of prisoners diagnosed or treated for ADHD.

Originality/value: Despite various challenges, an ADHD diagnostic and treatment pathway was set up in a prison using adapted QI methodology. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility of routine screening for ADHD in prison and examine at a national level the effectiveness of current ADHD prison pathways.

Purpose: The USA outpaces most other countries in the world in the rates at which it incarcerates its citizens. The one million women held in US jails and prisons on any day in the USA face many physical health challenges, yet interventional work to address physical health in carceral settings is rare. This study's purpose was to summarize the literature on programs and interventions implemented with women in US carceral settings (jail or prison) that primarily addressed a physical health issue or need.

Design/methodology/approach: A scoping review was conducted. The authors searched databases, reference lists, individual journals and websites for physical health program descriptions/evaluations and research studies, 2000-2020, that included women and were set in the USA.

Findings: The authors identified 19 articles and a range of problem areas, designs, settings and samples, interventions/programs, outcomes and uses of theory. The authors identified two cross-cutting themes: the carceral setting as opportunity and challenges of ethics and logistics.

Research limitations/implications: Much potential remains for researchers to have an impact on health disparities by addressing physical health needs of women during incarceration.

Originality/value: Interventional and programmatic work to address physical health needs of women during incarceration is sparse and diversely focused. This review uniquely summarizes the existing work in a small and overlooked but important area of research and usefully highlights gaps in that literature.

Purpose: The targeted use of standardized outcome measures (SOMs) of mental health in research with older adults who are incarcerated promotes a common language that enables interdisciplinary dialogue, contributes to the identification of disparities and supports data harmonization and subsequent synthesis. This paper aims to provide researchers with rationale for using "gold-standard" measures used in research with community-dwelling older adults, reporting associated study sample psychometric indexes, and detailing alterations in the approach or measure.

Design/methodology/approach: The authors highlight the mental health of older adults who are incarcerated. They also discuss the benefits of SOMs in practice and research and then identify gold-standard measures of mental health used in research with community-dwelling older adults and measures used in research with older adults who are incarcerated. Finally, the authors provide several recommendations related to the use of SOMs of mental health in research with this population.

Findings: Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder are common among older adults who are incarcerated. Researchers have used a variety of measures to capture these mental health problems, some parallel to those used with community-dwelling samples. However, a more targeted use of SOMs of mental health in research with this population will contribute to important strides in this burgeoning field.

Originality/value: This review offers several practical recommendations related to SOMs of mental health in research with older adults who are incarcerated to contribute to a rigorous evidence base and thus inform practice and potentially improve the health and well-being of this population.

Purpose: Older incarcerated persons are an especially vulnerable segment of the prison population, with high rates of multimorbidity. This study aims to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older incarcerated persons' mental and physical health.

Design/methodology/approach: Participants were 157 currently-incarcerated persons age ≥50 years who were enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study before the pandemic. Anxiety symptoms (seven-item generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire), depressive symptoms (eight-item patient health questionnaire) and self-rated health (SRH) were assessed during in-person interviews completed before the pandemic and via mailed surveys during the pandemic (August-September 2020). A mediation model evaluated the relationship among anxiety, depression and SRH.

Findings: Participants were 96% male, racially diverse (41% White, 41% Black, 18% Hispanic/Other), with average age 56.0(±5.8) years. From before to during the pandemic, anxiety symptoms increased (worsened) (from 6.4 ± 5.7 to 7.8 ± 6.6; p < 0.001), depressive symptoms increased (worsened) (from 5.5 ± 6.0 to 8.1 ± 6.5; p < 0.001) and SRH decreased (worsened) (from 3.0 ± 0.2 to 2.6 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). The total effect of worsening anxiety symptoms on worsening SRH (-0.043; p < 0.001) occurs entirely because of worsening depressive symptoms, i.e. the direct effect was statistically non-significant -0.030 (p = 0.068).

Practical implications: Older incarcerated persons experienced worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic which was associated with worsening SRH. These findings have implications for health-care costs and services needed to care for this vulnerable group.

Originality/value: This is the first study to evaluate change in older incarcerated persons' mental health from before the COVID-19 pandemic to during the pandemic.