Health Status and Access to Services in Italian Prisons
Author Information
Author(s): Nobile Carmelo GA, Flotta Domenico, Nicotera Gaetano, Pileggi Claudia, Angelillo Italo F
Primary Institution: Chair of Hygiene, Medical School, University of Catanzaro
Hypothesis
What is the self-reported health status and access to health services among male prisoners in Italy?
Conclusion
Prisoners in Italy report poor health status and have specific care needs, with limited health promotion programs available.
Supporting Evidence
- 31.6% of prisoners reported poor health status.
- 60% reported their health worsened during incarceration.
- Older age and lower education were linked to worse health perception.
- 82% of prisoners reported health problems at the time of the survey.
- Prisoners consulted general practitioners an average of six times in the past year.
Takeaway
Prisoners often feel unhealthy and don't get enough help to stay healthy while in prison.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among male prisoners in four selected penal institutions.
Potential Biases
Self-reported health issues may introduce misclassification.
Limitations
Potential selection bias and differences in response formats for health status across studies may affect comparisons.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 39.8 years; majority were married, unemployed, and had low educational attainment.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 1.03-1.08
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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