Selected Predictors of Health Services Needs of Inmates Over Age 50

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to correlate the characteristics of 1,051 elderly inmates (those over 50 years of age) in the Federal Bureau of Prisons with the number of medical encounters for selected chronic health problems. "Total medical encounters" was the dependent variable. Independent variables were age, sex, length of sentence, and the number of encounters for the following selected medical conditions: noninsulindependent diabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes, arteriosclerotic heart disease, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study used a multiple regression analysis for a population mostly White (78.7%), predominately male (93.0%), with a mean age of 57.12 years. In this study, the researcher found increased health care utilization due to the presence of hypertension (19.2%), arteriosclerotic heart disease (5.4%), diabetes (3.4%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.5%), length of sentence, and age.

Health-related research on older inmates: An integrative review

“…Age 50 and older was the most frequently used minimum age criterion (28.6%; n ¼ 6). Interestingly, ages noted in an article's title, design, and results did not always concur (Falter, 1999;Regan, Alderson, & Regan, 2002). In one study age was not specified (Aday, 1994a); in a second study the age used was younger than 50 (Gallagher, 1990); otherwise older inmates were at least 50 years.…”

Trauma and Stress Among Older Adults in the Criminal Justice System: A Review of the Literature with Implications for Social Work

“…has classified incarcerated individuals as older adult or elderly at age 50, as compared to the common classification of older adults in the community at the retirement age of 65 (Falter, 1999). This seemingly low age for older adults in prison is often attributed to the fact that the average prisoner has a reduced health state that approximates that of a community age adult who is 10 to 15 years older (Falter, 1999;Reimer, 2008).…”

“…This seemingly low age for older adults in prison is often attributed to the fact that the average prisoner has a reduced health state that approximates that of a community age adult who is 10 to 15 years older (Falter, 1999;Reimer, 2008). Older adults in the criminal justice system often have more documented physical health problems than their younger counterparts, especially chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes (Baum & Singer, 1982;Booth, 1989;Maruschak, 2008).…”

“…Current estimates suggest that it costs about $70,000 annually to incarcerate an inmate over the age of 60, versus younger inmates whose incarceration costs approximately $22,000 per year, because of the chronic physical and mental deterioration of older adults in prison (Kinsella, 2004). Although prisoners are US citizens with the constitutional rights to health care, the continuing rise in costs to deliver this care compromises the quality and consistency of these services (Falter, 1999).…”

Psychosocial and Reincarceration Risks Among Older Adults in Mental Health Courts

“…Although there is variability in how researchers define older adults in studies involving people in the justice system who have psychiatric disorders, older adults are commonly defined in corrections as people 50 years and older (11). We followed this convention.…”