Health Disparity of Incarcerated Individuals

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Health Disparity of Incarcerated Individuals

Introduction

In the aspect of the VPCM, prisoners are at risk under the influence of three main parameters. The lack of highly qualified personnel, limited resources all this belongs to the resource availability concept. Relative risks occur when prisoners are exposed to unfavorable conditions and are increasingly suffering from chronic diseases. Within the framework of the health status of the selected population, there is a disappointing trend of high chances of morbidity and death. The chosen population faces a lack of highly qualified doctors, preventive measures, medicines, and special equipment to maintain health.

Definition of Health Disparity

Incarcerated individuals are one of the most vulnerable populations within the American health care system. As practice shows, prisoners in custody are limited in receiving proper medical care and treatment. They are more likely to get sick, and their life expectancy is shorter (Vandergrift & Christopher, 2021). Such people are susceptible to diseases and infections due to unfavorable conditions in places of detention, stress, improper and substandard nutrition, bad habits, and limited physical activity.

Number of Incarcerated Persons

Nowadays, the United States is still the world leader in the number of prisoners. According to the Statista Research Department, as of May 2021, the number of incarcerated in the US 100,000 people is 632 prisoners (Statista Research Department, 2021). This is even higher than in such densely populated countries as Brazil, Turkey, China, and many European states (Gramlich, 2021). To date, more than 2 million people are held in American prisons (Douglas et al., 2021). It is about 25% of the total prison population of the Earth.

The Ratio of Providers to Inmates

Most correctional institutions in the USA suffer from a shortage of qualified personnel psychotherapists, dentists, and other critical medical workers. On the scale of modern realities, about 85% have a staff shortage in 6 states, and about 54% of US counties do not have a psychiatrist practicing in correctional institutions (Morris & West, 2020). About 12 doctors work in US prisons, using the example of the state of Louisiana, and more than 80% of them show disinterest, negligence, and irresponsibility to their work and patients (Blakinger, 2021). A similar situation also arises with dentists; about 8000 prisoners are waiting on a first-come, first-served basis for one doctor to treat teeth (Blakinger, 2021). Actually, US correctional institutions are entirely clogged, and the problem of a shortage of qualified doctors remains relevant.

Resource Availability

The lack of medical providers, psychiatrists, and necessary resources for effective treatment is modern healthcares primary problem in correctional institutions. Increasingly, there is a tendency for medical workers to lack motivation and prospects for conducting activities in the field because of misconceptions and preconceived opinions. Misconceptions may deter specialists from the high degree of danger (Morris & West, 2020). Moreover, some believe prisoners should count on an extreme minimum of medical care and rehabilitation (Morris & West, 2020). Consequently, convicts are still deprived of good treatment; doctors assume that the care of prisoners should be observed only with the concept of satisfactory results, but no more.

Relative Risks

While in custody, people may subsequently experience various chronic, infectious diseases, mental illnesses, or other obstacles. Prisoners have a high risk of the occurrence, development, and spread of HIV infections, syphilis, hepatitis C, tuberculosis (Davis et al., 2018). As a rule, they suffer from hypertension, asthma, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and being overweight (Davis et al., 2018). Moreover, these people are also susceptible to mental illnesses and disorders due to stressful conditions and psychoactive substances. Crowding, artificial environment, social isolation, poor air recirculation, and lack of quality water also worsen health (Puglisi & Wang, 2021). Despite the high chances of adverse health-related consequences, former prisoners face difficulties finding work, money, and ways to survive.

Health Status

In some instances, diseases of prisoners and those released from colonies can be accompanied by fatal outcomes. According to the New York study, the death rate of convicts varies from about 2 to 6 per 1000 human years (Alex et al., 2017). In two years of research, North Carolina also had many deaths among people deprived of liberty, unlike other categories of citizens (Jones et al., 2017). From a sample of about 42 thousand prisoners, more than 900 deaths were recorded (Jones et al., 2017). Common causes were premeditated murder and suicide, cancer, heart disorders, an overdose of harmful substances, physical injuries, and other forms of chronic diseases.

The Lack of Preventative Health Services

Correctional institutions lack the necessary medicines, health care products, sanitation, screening examinations. This problem is especially acute in the spread of COVID-19 when it is necessary to carefully monitor the availability of sanitation facilities, masks, and gloves (Carvalho et al., 2020). Institutions often face interruptions in providing critical medicines, such as drugs to treat HIV infection, tuberculosis, or drug addiction. Every prisoner should be able to use the services of a qualified dentist and a psychotherapist, but this service is provided in limited conditions.

The Lack of Resources for Mental Health

Indeed, several prisoners suffer from problems related to mental disorders. If the patients symptoms are investigated, and a diagnosis is made, the patient remains without proper treatment and assistance from doctors (Morin, 2021). Correctional institutions do not have enough allocated funds and budget for the purchase of special equipment and medicines. Even if services for the treatment of mental disorders are provided in such places, they may not be as effective and safe.

Conclusion

Summing up, incarcerated individuals are a minority group at greater risk of morbidity and infection. A large proportion of prisoners are in the United States compared to densely populated countries. These people are often deprived of the conditions in which they should be. In institutions of this type, there are no available conditions, medicines, or special equipment for treating diseases; a shortage of medical specialists. Therefore, people are more likely to get sick, acquire chronic diseases, and live less in such circumstances.

References

Alex, B., Weiss, D. B., Kaba, F., Rosner, Z., Lee, D., Lim, S., Venters, H., & MacDonald, R. (2017). Death after jail release: matching to improve care delivery. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 23(1), pp. 83-87.

Blakinger, K. (2021). Disgraced doctors, unlicensed officials: Prisons face criticism over health care. NBC News.

Blakinger, K. (2021). Michigan prisoners say long wait to see a dentist is inhumane. NBC News.

Carvalho, S. G. D., Santos, A. B. S. D., & Santos, I. M. (2020). The pandemic in prison: interventions and overisolation. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 25 (9).

Davis, D. M., Bello, J. K., & Rottnek, F. (2018). Care of incarcerated patients. American family physician, 98(10), pp. 577-583.

Douglas, A. D., Zaidi, M. Y., Maatman, T. K., Choi, J. N., & Meagher, A. D. (2021). Caring for incarcerated patients: Can it ever be equal?. Journal of Surgical Education.

Gramlich, J. (2021). Americas incarceration rate falls to lowest level since 1995. Pew Research Center.

Jones, M., Kearney, G. D., Xu, X., Norwood, T., & Proescholdbell, S. K. (2017). Mortality rates and cause of death among former prison inmates in North Carolina. North Carolina medical journal, 78(4), pp. 223-229.

Morin, A. (2021). The mental health effects of being in prison. Verywell Mind.

Morris, N. P., & West, S. G. (2020). Misconceptions about working in correctional psychiatry. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 48(2). Web.

Puglisi, L. B., & Wang, E. A. (2021). Health care for people who are incarcerated. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 7(1), pp. 1-2.

Statista Research Department. (2021). Countries with the largest number of prisoners per 100,000 of the national population, as of May 2021. Statista.

Vandergrift, L. A., & Christopher, P. P. (2021). Do prisoners trust the healthcare system?. Health & justice, 9(1), pp. 1-8.

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