Continuity of health impairment and substance misuse among adult prisoners in Queensland, Australia

Abstract

Prisoners experience high rates of chronic physical health problems, poor mental health and high rates of substance misuse. However, little is known about what happens to prisoners after release from custody, except that many re‐offend and a disproportionate number die from drug overdose, suicide, accidents and other causes. Using a prospective design, 160 prisoners in Queensland, Australia were interviewed prior to release then 1 and 4 months post‐release. Most prisoners had a history of substance misuse and many reported poor mental health pre‐release. The prevalence of these problems was also high post‐release and there was a high degree of continuity of impairment. These findings add support to calls for (a) population‐level pre‐release planning and post‐release support for prisoners returning to the community, and (b) screening and targeted intervention for those most at risk of poor post‐release outcomes.

Citation

Kinner, S.A. (2006), "Continuity of health impairment and substance misuse among adult prisoners in Queensland, Australia", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 101-113. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449200600935711