Talking About Incarceration History: Engaging Patients and Healthcare Providers in Communication

Background

Incarcerated individuals in carceral facilities demonstrate an elevated prevalence of chronic disease conditions which are likely to persist post-release. Healthcare providers may not be trained on how exposure to incarceration may influence patient health outcomes and patient-provider communication.

Objective

To examine the self-perceived preparedness of healthcare providers to interview patients regarding history of incarceration and the potential related health consequences.

Design

This cross-sectional study consisted of a web-based self-administered questionnaire distributed via email to a random sample of healthcare providers in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Participants

In total, 400 healthcare providers were invited to participate; 114 respondents completed the survey, of which 26% were medical doctors (n=30), 41% were physician assistants (n=47), and 32% were nurse practitioners (n=37).

Main Measures

Understanding healthcare provider training in caring for formerly incarcerated patients, current treatment practices and confidence caring for patients who have experienced incarceration, and implications for clinical care.

Key Results

Of 114 respondents, 73% reported that they currently care for formerly incarcerated patients. However, only 8% received specialized training for the care of formerly incarcerated patients. While most respondents did not ask their patients about prior history of incarceration (81%), when asked about comfortability in doing so, 60% reported low levels of comfort. Most providers (77%) reported high agreement that incarceration impacted health, with 54% reporting that it led to significant healthcare access barriers, but 64% reported low confidence levels in addressing the needs of formerly incarcerated patients.

Conclusions

Healthcare workers recognized incarceration as a detrimental health exposure. However, providers reported low levels of confidence in understanding and addressing the unique needs of patients who experienced incarceration. Findings support the need for further training regarding how to address the needs of formerly incarcerated patients, which would support efforts towards achieving equitable healthcare.