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Health incarcerated the use of medical services within correctional facilities.
Brake, J.H.M. te, Jongh, D.M. de, Bakker, D.H. de, Devillé, W.L.J.M. Health incarcerated the use of medical services within correctional facilities. European Journal of Public Health: 2005, 15(Suppl. 1) 142. Abstract. 13th Annual EUPHA Meeting "Promoting the public's health: reorienting health policies, linking health promotion and health care", Graz, 10-12 November 2005.
Background: In order to adequately staff correctional medical teams it is important to collect
objective data on their work load, especially given the increasing call for cut-backs in the overall
treatment of inmates. Moreover, inmates typically constitute a vulnerable patient group,
characterized by elevated levels of both physical and psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study
was to determine the work load of nurses and general practitioners employed within correctional
facilities, and to determine the effect of possible correlates, such as inmate demographics,
background, and diagnosis. Methods: During a one- or two-week period, each nurse and general
practitioner within 17 Dutch correctional institutions (about 30% of all such institutions in The
Netherlands) was asked to register all medical contacts with inmates. A total of 5602 registration
forms were returned by 123 nurses (88.6%) and 36 general practitioners (94.7%). Multilevel analyses
were used to control for design effects. Results: Preliminary results indicate that nurses have 20
contacts per inmate per year (18 with male inmates, 25.1 with female inmates). For general
practitioners in the institutions this number is 6.4 (5.9 with males, 10.8 with females). Average
length of the contacts was 7.5 minutes for nurses, and 7.1 min for general practitioners. It was
found that drug addiction and psychiatric care was related with longer contact duration (up to 9.2
min). Conclusions Results clearly indicate the high intensity of medical work in prisons. When
compared to another vulnerable patient group, asylum seekers (six contacts per patient per year),
the number of contacts among correctional nurses were more than three times higher. To a lesser
degree, the same applies for general practitioner in correctional institutions. Compared to
practitioners within general health care (i.e. 3.94) contact rates were more than 50% higher. Gender
and psychiatric or drug-related problems are correlates to elevated work load for correctional
medical facilities. (aut.ref.)
objective data on their work load, especially given the increasing call for cut-backs in the overall
treatment of inmates. Moreover, inmates typically constitute a vulnerable patient group,
characterized by elevated levels of both physical and psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study
was to determine the work load of nurses and general practitioners employed within correctional
facilities, and to determine the effect of possible correlates, such as inmate demographics,
background, and diagnosis. Methods: During a one- or two-week period, each nurse and general
practitioner within 17 Dutch correctional institutions (about 30% of all such institutions in The
Netherlands) was asked to register all medical contacts with inmates. A total of 5602 registration
forms were returned by 123 nurses (88.6%) and 36 general practitioners (94.7%). Multilevel analyses
were used to control for design effects. Results: Preliminary results indicate that nurses have 20
contacts per inmate per year (18 with male inmates, 25.1 with female inmates). For general
practitioners in the institutions this number is 6.4 (5.9 with males, 10.8 with females). Average
length of the contacts was 7.5 minutes for nurses, and 7.1 min for general practitioners. It was
found that drug addiction and psychiatric care was related with longer contact duration (up to 9.2
min). Conclusions Results clearly indicate the high intensity of medical work in prisons. When
compared to another vulnerable patient group, asylum seekers (six contacts per patient per year),
the number of contacts among correctional nurses were more than three times higher. To a lesser
degree, the same applies for general practitioner in correctional institutions. Compared to
practitioners within general health care (i.e. 3.94) contact rates were more than 50% higher. Gender
and psychiatric or drug-related problems are correlates to elevated work load for correctional
medical facilities. (aut.ref.)
Background: In order to adequately staff correctional medical teams it is important to collect
objective data on their work load, especially given the increasing call for cut-backs in the overall
treatment of inmates. Moreover, inmates typically constitute a vulnerable patient group,
characterized by elevated levels of both physical and psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study
was to determine the work load of nurses and general practitioners employed within correctional
facilities, and to determine the effect of possible correlates, such as inmate demographics,
background, and diagnosis. Methods: During a one- or two-week period, each nurse and general
practitioner within 17 Dutch correctional institutions (about 30% of all such institutions in The
Netherlands) was asked to register all medical contacts with inmates. A total of 5602 registration
forms were returned by 123 nurses (88.6%) and 36 general practitioners (94.7%). Multilevel analyses
were used to control for design effects. Results: Preliminary results indicate that nurses have 20
contacts per inmate per year (18 with male inmates, 25.1 with female inmates). For general
practitioners in the institutions this number is 6.4 (5.9 with males, 10.8 with females). Average
length of the contacts was 7.5 minutes for nurses, and 7.1 min for general practitioners. It was
found that drug addiction and psychiatric care was related with longer contact duration (up to 9.2
min). Conclusions Results clearly indicate the high intensity of medical work in prisons. When
compared to another vulnerable patient group, asylum seekers (six contacts per patient per year),
the number of contacts among correctional nurses were more than three times higher. To a lesser
degree, the same applies for general practitioner in correctional institutions. Compared to
practitioners within general health care (i.e. 3.94) contact rates were more than 50% higher. Gender
and psychiatric or drug-related problems are correlates to elevated work load for correctional
medical facilities. (aut.ref.)
objective data on their work load, especially given the increasing call for cut-backs in the overall
treatment of inmates. Moreover, inmates typically constitute a vulnerable patient group,
characterized by elevated levels of both physical and psychiatric symptoms. The aim of this study
was to determine the work load of nurses and general practitioners employed within correctional
facilities, and to determine the effect of possible correlates, such as inmate demographics,
background, and diagnosis. Methods: During a one- or two-week period, each nurse and general
practitioner within 17 Dutch correctional institutions (about 30% of all such institutions in The
Netherlands) was asked to register all medical contacts with inmates. A total of 5602 registration
forms were returned by 123 nurses (88.6%) and 36 general practitioners (94.7%). Multilevel analyses
were used to control for design effects. Results: Preliminary results indicate that nurses have 20
contacts per inmate per year (18 with male inmates, 25.1 with female inmates). For general
practitioners in the institutions this number is 6.4 (5.9 with males, 10.8 with females). Average
length of the contacts was 7.5 minutes for nurses, and 7.1 min for general practitioners. It was
found that drug addiction and psychiatric care was related with longer contact duration (up to 9.2
min). Conclusions Results clearly indicate the high intensity of medical work in prisons. When
compared to another vulnerable patient group, asylum seekers (six contacts per patient per year),
the number of contacts among correctional nurses were more than three times higher. To a lesser
degree, the same applies for general practitioner in correctional institutions. Compared to
practitioners within general health care (i.e. 3.94) contact rates were more than 50% higher. Gender
and psychiatric or drug-related problems are correlates to elevated work load for correctional
medical facilities. (aut.ref.)
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