In the United States, a disproportionately high number of incarcerated individuals suffer from serious mental illnesses, substance use disorders, chronic medical conditions, infectious diseases, and traumatic brain injuries. Correctional facilities are often ill-equipped to address the incarcerated community's physical and mental health needs. Current laws and policies remain outdated and do not adequately address the complex health issues faced by incarcerated individuals, particularly the aging and terminally ill patients in correctional settings. We present a case of a male with schizophrenia whose ongoing psychiatric symptoms impaired his decisional capacity, leading to him to refuse medical treatment for an initially treatable medical condition, ultimately resulting in his death due to the lack of a surrogate decision-maker. This case underscores the urgent need for policy revisions to assign medical decision-making authority for individuals in custody and highlights potential interventions to bridge existing gaps in care for this population.
Importance: Recreational use of drug-soaked paper strips (hereafter, strips) in correctional facilities poses a major public health risk owing to the diverse and potentially severe toxic effects of the substances they contain. Understanding the clinical manifestations and outcomes of exposure to these strips is important for developing effective management and prevention strategies.
Objective: To characterize the clinical manifestations, management, and outcomes of intoxication from strips in a correctional facility population, and to identify the specific substances present in these strips.
This report highlights a science outreach effort for prisons launched by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in collaboration with the NGO Solidarios para el Desarrollo. The Microbiology-focused part of the initiative aims at educating inmates on some basic facts, in order to raise awareness about microorganisms and their impact on daily life. The outline of the talks, inspired by the International Initiative for Microbial Literacy, aims to encourage this collective to move from passive listeners into active participants, helping them understand that Earth is a microbial planet, and that their bodies harbour vast microbiomes that affect their health and social interactions.
The older incarcerated adult is a vulnerable and overlooked demographic within the U.S. healthcare system, facing high mortality rates due to chronic conditions and age-related issues such as cognitive decline, mobility impairments, and sensory deficits.
Background: Between 2012-2022 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States, including Washington State, have risen dramatically. Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a complex, chronic, and criminalized illness with biological, environmental, and social causes. One-fifth of people with OUD have recent criminal-legal system involvement; > 50% pass through WA jails annually.
