Prisons represent closed environments in which existing social and health inequalities are intensified. Incarcerated populations often experience higher rates of mental illness, substance dependence, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV, chronic disease, and trauma histories.
This chapter explores the epidemiology of prison health, including communicable disease transmission in confined settings, overcrowding, violence, smoking prevalence, and continuity of care challenges upon release. It also examines the ethical obligations of health services within correctional systems and the public health implications of re-entry into communities.
Prisons are not isolated from society; they are extensions of it. Public health must address both conditions within facilities and the broader social determinants that shape incarceration patterns.
Health equity extends beyond prison walls.
Key Takeaways
Prison populations have disproportionately high burdens of infectious disease and mental illness.
Overcrowding and confinement increase transmission risk.
Substance use disorders are highly prevalent among incarcerated individuals.
Continuity of care during and after incarceration is critical.
Ethical healthcare provision in prisons is a public health responsibility.
Incarceration reflects broader social inequalities.
Prison health is inseparable from community health.
