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PubMed2006

Pulmonary tuberculosis in the Central Prison of Douala, Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of and factors associated with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in an urban prison in sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey. SETTING: The Central Prison of Douala, Cameroon. RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred and seventy four (87.4%) out of 2830 inmates underwent screening. Twenty seven (1.1%) of the inmates were under treatment for smear-positive PTB on commencement of the survey while 60 (2.4%) were diagnosed with smear and/or culture-positive PTB during the active case finding, resulting in a point prevalence of PTB of 3.5%. HIV seroprevalence in inmates without clinical signs of PTB was 111/1067 (10.4%) while it amounted to 6/24 (25%) in PTB patients. In multiple stepwise regression analysis, a low BMI, a prison stay of < or = 12 months, and a history of previous incarceration were positively associated with PTB. CONCLUSION: The study results confirm the high prevalence rates of PTB in prison populations and underscore the need for urgent preventive measures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

How many drug rehabilitation places are needed in prisons to reduce the risk of bloodborne virus infection?

Transmission of HIV and hepatitis B virus infection has been recognised in prisons, and injecting drug use is a major route of infection. Combined results of two pilot health care surveys showed that 47% of prisoners with a history of injecting drug use wanted help to give up class A drugs but only 11% of non-injecting drug users expressed a similar wish. It would therefore seem appropriate for prisons to estimate the number of inmates with a history of injecting drug use and provide drug rehabilitation places for half that number (47% rounded up). Data from three prisons in England and Scotland for which the numbers of drug rehabilitation places were known showed that they provided less than quarter of the minimum requirement based on this formula. The proportion of inmates with a history of injecting or of non-injecting drug use who want help to give up class A drugs requires further investigation in order to refine the needs formula.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[The situation of physician in the state prison--constitutional state guarantees of individual rights].

In Germany, 220,000 persons are imprisoned yearly. Their health care is provided by physicians supported by medical teams in 9 prison hospitals. There is a total of 395 physicians mainly practicing in general medicine, internal medicine, surgery, and psychiatry. Other medical disciplines are represented by external physicians that are paid by fees. It is common to consult external physicians which can be explained by the legislation ruling the penal system. The prison administration has to provide a health care of equal quality as outside of prison. A pathology typical in prison, the unproportional representation of certain social groups (poor people, foreigners) and diseases (mental diseases, drug abuse, tbc, hepatitis, HIV) request an expanded profile of expertise from the physician. Except the task of health care, the physician is included in executive functions. Thus, the physician is exposed to control by non-medical institutions.

Germany↗
PubMed2001

[Knowledge and attitudes of prison staff towards HIV/AIDS: a European study].

The goal of this European pilot study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of prison staff from five countries towards HIV infection and to identify factors related to the potential discrimination of HIV-positive inmates. The survey revealed that the levels of knowledge with regard to HIV transmission and the degrees of tolerance varied significantly between prisons. A large proportion of staff overestimated the prevalence of HIV in their prison and feared being contaminated. The willingness of the staff to know the inmates' HIV seropositive status was negatively correlated to their level of tolerance; however, it was positively correlated to their knowledge of the modes of HIV transmission. This study underlines the necessity to improve HIV/AIDS prevention policy for prison staff in order to strengthen good practice in terms of managing the risk of contamination and hindering discrimination.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Health structures and hygiene in Lebanese prisons].

Since the end of the civil war in Lebanon (1991), the jailed population has more than doubled, while the real capacity of jails remained the same as in the 70s. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 1999 in all 17 jails then operating in the country, to evaluate the impact of this newly developing situation regarding the structures of hygiene and health services available to prisoners. The stated objectives of this survey were: 1) To identify structural problems; 2) To appreciate those variables affecting the structures which could be modified; 3) To recommend improvement in health conditions in jails The survey included a visit to each jail to evaluate the health structures and services using a standardized check-list, and to interview the jail director. Results indicated that health conditions in jails were inadequate. Each prisoner had 1.3 m2 of personal space on average, in cells most often overcrowded. There were 1.3 shower/100 prisoners on average, with soap and toilet paper rarely provided by the administration. On average, less than 2 general practitioners were found providing about 3 weekly visits per 100 prisoners. Possible interventions involving various social entities were discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Confronting America's most ignored crime problem: the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.

Prisoner sexual assault has plagued American corrections since its infancy in the 19th century. Although the incidence of prisoner sexual assault is unknown, recent studies reliably suggest the problem is widespread, often affecting the most vulnerable prisoners. The mental health and public health consequences, both within institutions and the community, are complex and devastating, requiring comprehensive intervention and treatment. These crimes have been largely ignored by correctional managers, compromising the safety and security of correctional institutions. The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 could play a vital role in managing a national scandal.

Crime Victims↗
PubMed2002

Reducing smoking prevalence in Australian prisons: a review of policy options.

Smoking of tobacco products is a major public health challenge in prison settings in most countries. Although tobacco use was tolerated by custodial authorities for many decades, the overwhelming evidence of the adverse public health effects of tobacco on both the smokers and those in the vicinity of exhaled or passive smoke, coupled with the risk of litigation by inmates involuntarily exposed to tobacco smoke, has recently prompted custodial authorities to implement tobacco control strategies to minimise both health and legal risks. The author examines the appropriateness of common policy initiatives put forward for reducing smoking prevalence in Australian prisons and suggests that, currently, apart from total prohibition and restriction on brands of tobacco, several policies and strategies may be utilised in combination to reduce smoking prevalence in prison settings, subject to their appraisal in terms of both effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, careful adaptation to prison conditions, and consistent implementation.

Australia↗
PubMed1990

[Detection of HIV antibodies among prisoners from penitentiary units within the district penal institutions in Cracow].

The reports on the high percentage of HIV infected persons in West European prisons brought about similar investigations in Kraków. 2794 prisoners and a control group of 241 people were examined. The authors used a questionnaire and detected HIV antibodies. The number of seropositive prisoners was not essential. The value of structure factor was 0.15% for prisoners, and in the control group it was 0%. The value of the test u = 0.64, statistical differences were not significant - p greater than 0.05.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1983

Psychiatry in prisons.

In the midst of the critical struggle over the failures of rehabilitation and the impotency of the prison system, the role of the psychiatrist in the prison has become increasingly unclear. This article presents a persuasive argument for working in prisons and discusses ethical considerations, treatment approaches, and the special problems and challenges provided by prison psychiatry.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Leprosy among inmates of a prison.

A leprosy survey carried out in a district prison revealed a gross prevalence of 20 cases per 1000, and active prevalence of 10 cases per 1000 whereas, prevalence of leprosy in the state was 1.12 per 1000. Such prisons thus form hyperendemic pockets. The inmates are a closed community and there is a risk of cases among inmates spreading infection to others inside the prison during their sojourn there and to the community when they are released from the prison. Special efforts are required to identify and eliminate all identifiable sources of infection, especially at this point of time when we are aiming at elimination of leprosy as a public health problem.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among incarcerated women. II. Convicted felons entering prison.

BACKGROUND: No unbiased estimates of the rates of psychiatric disorder among women prison inmates are available. Nonetheless, available data suggest that some psychiatric disorders are prevalent in this population. The objective of the study was to determine the rates, risk factors, and outcomes of specific psychiatric disorders among women prison inmates. METHODS: A virtual census of women felons (N = 805) entering prison in North Carolina was assessed using in-person interviews. Assessments were conducted for 8 disorders, using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview as the primary assessment measure. For validation purposes, one quarter of the inmates were reassessed for 2 of these disorders, using structured clinical interviews. RESULTS: Inmates were found to have high rates of substance abuse and dependence and antisocial and border-line personality disorders compared with women in community epidemiologic studies. Rates among inmates were also somewhat elevated for mood disorders but not for anxiety disorders. The rate of reports of lifetime exposure to traumatic events was also high. Rates of disorder tended to be higher among white than among African American women. CONCLUSION: High rates of substance abuse, psychiatric disorder, and psychological distress associated with exposure to traumatic events suggest that women in prison have a need for treatment for substance abuse and other mental health problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Undetected tuberculosis in prison. Source of infection for community at large.

Discovery of two cases of infectious tuberculosis in a state prison in 1976 prompted a careful study of the entire population of 1,500. Eight more cases were found, giving a morbidity of 670/100,000 (arkansas rate, 21.1). The epidemic was aborted by the use of isoniazid and the establishment of a program for screening and periodic retesting. Clear evidence was found for intramural spread of the infection, and eight of 16 persons with clinical tuberculosis from 1975 to 1977 had entered the prison uninfected. Nine percent of 800 men with tuberculosis in Arkansas from 1972 through 1977 had "done time" in this particular prison. In January 1978 a child died of tuberculosis transmitted from a former inmate who had been infected while incarcerated in 1976 but released without therapy. Tuberculosis morbidity was 6.5 times greater in state prisons than in the general population.

Arkansas↗
PubMed2004

Health care delivery in the Texas prison system: the role of academic medicine.

Faced with explosive growth in its prison population and a legal mandate to improve medical care for incarcerated offenders, the state of Texas implemented a novel correctional managed health care program in 1994. The organizational structure of the program is based on a series of contractual relationships between the state prison system, 2 of the state's academic medical centers, and a separate governing body composed of 9 appointed members, which include 5 physicians. All medical, dental, and psychiatric care for more than 145,000 offenders, incarcerated under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, is provided by the University of Texas Medical Branch and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The health delivery system is composed of several levels of care, including primary ambulatory care clinics in each prison unit, 16 infirmaries at strategic locations throughout the state, several regional medical facilities, and a dedicated prison hospital with a full range of services. Specialized treatment programs have been established at various units for patients with chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, major psychiatric disorders, hepatitis, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Significant improvements in health outcomes have occurred since the managed care program was established.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1978

Applicability of the Group Personality Projective Test within a prison population.

Administered the Group Personality Projective Test (GPPT) to 60 male offenders incarcerated in a state penitentiary. A board of 10 prisoners selected inmates who clearly had demonstrated one of three patterns of assaultive behavior: undercontrolled aggressives, overcontrolled aggressives, and over controlled psychopaths. A control group was chosen randomly from the prison population, as well. Results failed to support the hypothesis that GPPT scores significantly differ among relatively homogeneous prisoner subgroups or between these groups and the control group of non-assaultive prisoners.

Aggression↗
PubMed2005

Humeral cross-sectional morphology from 18th century Quebec prisoners of war: Limits to activity reconstruction.

This study uses measures of cross-sectional robusticity and asymmetry (based on humeral areal and inertial cross-sectional components) to test a prediction from bone remodeling theory that a physically active 18th century Quebec prisoner of war sample (N = 25) should have more robust and asymmetrical humeri than a nonphysically active 20th century New Mexico suburbanite sample (N = 27). Narrative accounts document that prisoners of war engaged in labor-intensive activities, and these activities were confirmed by observations of osteoarthritis and other pathologies. The suburbanite sample, for the most part, did not engage in such activities. The prisoners had higher levels of pathology than the suburbanites (e.g., 80% vs. 22% osteoarthritis; F = 17.95, P < 0.01). For robusticity, the populations did not differ significantly in total area, cortical area, moment areas of inertia about the mediolateral plane, or polar moment area of inertia. The Quebec prison sample did have significantly higher values for moment areas of inertia about the anteroposterior plane. For asymmetry, the populations did not differ in any values (total area, cortical area, moment areas of inertia about the mediolateral plane, moment areas of inertia about the anteroposterior plane, or polar moment of inertia). Thus, examinations of cross-sectional robusticity and asymmetry failed to conclusively confirm the hypothesis that intensive labor leads to changes in humeral morphology. Possible explanations for the lack of differences are discussed, such as poor diet impeding bone remodeling. Nevertheless, the one significant finding suggests that cross-sectional shape is more useful in reconstructing activity patterns than amount of bone in a cross section. Results from this study join those from other recent investigations to suggest that additional controls are required before cross-sectional differences may be confidently attributed to activity patterns.

Anatomy, Cross-Sectional↗
PubMed2001

Who's in, who's out, and who's back: follow-up data on 59 juveniles incarcerated in adult prison for murder or attempted murder in the early 1980s.

Since the mid-1980s, when juvenile arrests for violent crime increased dramatically, interest has focused on juvenile offenders who commit violent acts. Legislatures across the United States have enacted a variety of measures to "get tough" with juveniles in response to escalating crime rates and the perceptions that longer sentences were needed. This manuscript provides follow-up data on 59 juveniles who were committed to the adult Department of Corrections in Florida during the period January 1982 through January 1984 for one or more counts of murder, attempted murder, or, in a few cases, manslaughter. Although many of these adolescents received lengthy prison sentences, more than two-thirds had been released from prison prior to November 1999. This article presents data on amount of time served and recidivism over the 15 to 17 year period. Results indicated that 60 percent of sample subjects released from prison were returned to prison, and most of those who failed did so within the first three years of release. Findings from the present study, when examined in the context of previous comparative follow-up studies of delinquent youths, suggest that the dialogue on how to handle violent youths must be continued if juvenile homicide offenders are going to be released to society at some point in the future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Understanding community re-entry of former prisoners with mental illness: a conceptual model to guide new research.

Criminal justice, mental health, and social service professionals face a myriad of role expectations in working with prisoners with mental illness to facilitate community re-entry. These expectations include those related to law enforcement, social welfare, and administrative efficiency. The challenge for front line workers and the multiple systems that employ them is to integrate all these expectations effectively on behalf of the individual as well as the community. Current models of re-entry for individuals leaving prison with mental illness focus on the management and interaction of service systems. This paper presents a model of prisoner re-entry that incorporates a larger social context, illustrating dynamics related to both individuals with mental illness leaving prison and their interaction with the community setting. This model was generated through an interdisciplinary team effort. It was refined through a focus group process that included advocates, community members and other informants from mental health and criminal justice systems in five states. The model is designed to generate new questions for research that address both individual and community level issues.

Community Mental Health Services↗
PubMed2002

Personality disorders in prisoners and their motivation for dangerous and disruptive behaviour.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between DSM-III, axis II, personality disorder, motivation and disruptive behaviour in prisoners. METHOD: Interviews were carried out with 81 prisoners in prison special units in England using research diagnostic instruments and an item sheet measuring disruptive behaviours and their motivations. Independent associations were established using logistic regression. RESULTS: Specific associations were established between psychopathy and axis II disorders with violent and disruptive behaviour and motivations for these behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: The study supported a cognitive model explaining the functional association between personality disorder and antisocial behaviour. Personality disorders act as predisposing factors influencing the development of motivations and subsequently facilitate the enactment of disordered behaviour, in a linear progression. Assessment of personality disorder should be routine in disruptive and dangerous prisoners.

Adult↗