In the United States, around 870 per 100,000 are incarcerated (in jail or prison). The highest rate in the world.1 The transition of inpatient to outpatient mental health facilities has led to an increase in the incarceration rate.2 The USPSTF recommends individuals in jail or prison be screened for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, and latent TB infection. Also, sexually active females are recommended to be screened for gonorrhea and chlamydia. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Grade A or B recommendations.3 Unhealthy drug use is also recommended to be screened for. (Grade B recommendation)4 The jail and prison population has more obesity and overweight, arthritis, asthma, hypertension, diabetes, substance abuse, mental health disorders, overall infectious diseases, HIV and Hepatitis C, and tuberculosis.1 In jails, suicide is the leading cause of death.5 Incarcerated persons are also exposed to more violence than the general population and have a higher incidence of self-harm and accident-related injuries.6 Incarceration also has a significant negative impact on family members and the reproductive health of incarcerated females as they may be pregnant upon incarceration or desire to become pregnant.8

References:

1 Cloud DH, Parsons J, Delany-Brumsey A. Addressing mass incarceration: a clarion call for public health. Am J Public Health. 2014;104(3):389-391.

2 Yohanna D. Deinstitutionalization of people with mental illness: causes and consequences. Virtual Mentor. 2013;15(10):886-891.

3 Davis, D. M., Bello, J. K., & Rottnek, F. (2018). Care of Incarcerated Patients. American family physician, 98(10), 577–583.

4 US Preventive Services Task Force, Krist, A. H., Davidson, K. W., Mangione, C. M., Barry, M. J., Cabana, M., Caughey, A. B., Curry, S. J., Donahue, K., Doubeni, C. A., Epling, J. W., Jr, Kubik, M., Ogedegbe, G., Pbert, L., Silverstein, M., Simon, M. A., Tseng, C. W., & Wong, J. B. (2020). Screening for Unhealthy Drug Use: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA, 323(22), 2301–2309. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.8020

5 E. Ann Carson. Mortality in Local Jails, 2000-2018 – Statistical Tables. April 2021, NCJ 256002.

6 Sung H-E. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Violence-Related and Accident-Related Injuries Among State Prisoners. Journal of Correctional Health Care. 2010;16(3):178-187.

7 Incarceration and Health: A Family Medicine Perspective (Position Paper) (aafp.org)