Description of the health status and social characteristics of individuals admitted to detention in Picardy in 2013

In order to tailor healthcare services for inmates to their specific health needs, it is necessary to have data on their health status and sociodemographic characteristics. Since 2011, the Picardy Regional Health and Social Observatory (OR2S) has been developing an information-collection application that has been deployed in the healthcare units of correctional facilities throughout the region. This data is entered by healthcare staff on a secure web page during the new inmate’s initial medical consultation. The anonymized data is stored on the OR2S’s authorized secure server. In 2013, data regarding the health status of half (n=1,780) of the newly incarcerated individuals in Picardy was analyzed. One-fifth of the men were receiving psychiatric care; half of the new arrivals required dental care; 85.0% were tobacco smokers; 24.0% regularly used drugs; 12.5% were living in precarious circumstances prior to incarceration. This collection of information provides an annual snapshot of the health status of the newly incarcerated population in a facility or region, thereby enabling social, health, and correctional services to tailor their interventions. The application’s flexibility in use and scalability allows for dynamic adjustments to the nature of the data collected. Its cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation make it an efficient tool that can be easily expanded to other regions of France.

Author(s): Fauchille E, Thienpont C, Sannier O, Faure R, Trugeon A

Publishing year: 2016

Pages: 344-9

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2016, n° 18-19, p. 344-9

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