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Health Outcomes and Retention in Care Following Release from Prison for Patients of an Urban Post-incarceration Transitions Clinic

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Chronic health conditions are overrepresented among prisoners who often face barriers to medical care following release. Transitions clinics seek to provide timely access to medical care following release. This retrospective cohort study investigated care delivery and health outcomes for recently released prisoners receiving care at the Bronx Transitions Clinic. Among 135 recently released prisoners, median time from release to initial medical visit was 10 days (IQ Range: 5-31). Six-month retention in care was high for HIV-infection (86%), but lower for opioid dependence (33%), hypertension (45%) and diabetes (43%). At six months, 54% of HIV-patients had a suppressed viral load, but fewer buprenorphine-treated patients reduced opioid use (19%), and fewer hypertensive and diabetic patients reached respective blood pressure (35%) and hemoglobin A1c (14%) goals. Access to medical care is necessary but not sufficient to control chronic health conditions. Additional interventions are necessary for formerly incarcerated people to achieve optimal health outcomes.

Source: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved

DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2014.0139

Authors: Aaron D. Fox, Matthew R. Anderson, Gary Bartlett, John Valverde, Joanna L. Starrels, Chinazo O. Cunningham

Institutions: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Osborne Association, Yeshiva University

Language: English

Topic: Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: bronze