BMC Public Health
Volume 11, 2011

Health problems among detainees in Switzerland: A study using the ICPC-2 classification (Article) (Open Access)

Wolff H.* , Sebo P. , Haller D.M. , Eytan A. , Niveau G. , Bertrand D. , Gétaz L. , Cerutti B.
  • a Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • b Primary Care Practice, Thnex, Switzerland
  • c Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • d Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • e Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • f Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • g Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, Geneva University Hospitals, University of Geneva, Switzerland
  • h Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the health status of prisoners in Switzerland. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of the health problems presented by detainees in Switzerland's largest remand prison. Methods. In this retrospective cross-sectional study we reviewed the health records of all detainees leaving Switzerland's largest remand prison in 2007. The health problems were coded using the International Classification for Primary Care (ICPC-2). Analyses were descriptive, stratified by gender. Results: A total of 2195 health records were reviewed. Mean age was 29.5 years (SD 9.5); 95% were male; 87.8% were migrants. Mean length of stay was 80 days (SD 160). Illicit drug use (40.2%) and mental health problems (32.6%) were frequent, but most of these detainees (57.6%) had more generic primary care problems, such as skin (27.0%), infectious diseases (23.5%), musculoskeletal (19.2%), injury related (18.3%), digestive (15.0%) or respiratory problems (14.0%). Furthermore, 7.9% reported exposure to violence during arrest by the police. Conclusion: Morbidity is high in this young, predominantly male population of detainees, in particular in relation to substance abuse. Other health problems more commonly seen in general practice are also frequent. These findings support the further development of coordinated primary care and mental health services within detention centers. © 2011 Wolff et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Author Keywords

Primary care prisoners jail ICPC coding detainees Access to care prison health care

Index Keywords

human middle aged prisoner Prisoners Aged Medical Audit Cross-Sectional Studies Young Adult cross-sectional study Humans Adolescent male female Aged, 80 and over Health Status Indicators Article Retrospective Studies adult retrospective study Switzerland Health Services Accessibility documentation health care delivery health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79955090977&doi=10.1186%2f1471-2458-11-245&partnerID=40&md5=30ff6a4d2df3f18bf5aefee79d2666b8
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-245
ISSN: 14712458
Cited by: 25
Original Language: English