ANALYSIS OF INMATE/PATIENT PROFILE DATA - AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAM TO IMPROVE MEDICAL CARE AND HEALTH SERVICES IN JAILS

• NCJ Number: 42604
• Author(s): B J ANNO
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 260 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American Medical Assoc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

USING PILOT JAILS IN SIX STATES, THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO DETERMINE IF INMATES HAD HEALTH CARE NEEDS THAT WERE NEITHER IDENTIFIED NOR TREATED, AND IF SO, WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WERE TO INMATES.

Abstract

INFORMATION REGARDING PRIOR HEALTH CARE AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE WAS GAINED FROM THE 641 INMATES EXAMINED. VITAL SIGNS WERE TESTED, AND LAB TESTS AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS WERE GIVEN. PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS REVEALED ABOUT THREE ABNORMALITIES PER PARTICIPANT. OF THESE, ONE IN EVERY THREE WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO ELICIT A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR THE INMATE TO RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF FOLLOW-UP CARE. MOST OF THESE CONDITIONS REQUIRING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS AND/OR TREATMENT HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN IDENTIFIED OR TREATED BY THE JAILS. IGNORANCE ON THE PART OF THE JAILS STUDIED REGARDING INMATE HEALTH PROBLEMS, MANY OF WHICH WERE SERIOUS AND COMMUNICABLE, IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINDING IN THE STUDY.