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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Seijeoung Kim, PhD¹, Andrew Ting, MD², Sergio Rodriguez, MD², Roger Benson, MD², Connie Mennella, MD², and Faith Davis, PhD³. (1) School of Public Health, Epi/Bio, University of Illinois at Chicago, 228 N. Oak Park Ave #3L, Oak Park, IL 60304, 708--856-2652, skim49@uic.edu, (2) Medical/Surgical Department, Cermak Health Services, 2800 S. California Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, (3) School of Public Health - Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601-3 W Taylor St, MC 923, Chicago, IL 60612

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe causes of death during the ten year period between 1995 and 2004 in a large urban jail in Chicago, to compare disease specific mortality rates between the jail population and the general population, to explore demographic and incarceration characteristics of the inmates who died in the jail by cause of death, and to examine gender difference in demographic characteristics, incarceration patterns, and causes of death. Method: A total of 178 deaths occurring in the jail over a ten-year period (1995-2004) were reviewed. Disease specific mortality rates were computed for the jail population and compared with the rates in the US general population. Cause of death, demographic variables, and incarceration related factors were retrieved from multiple computerized databases. Descriptive analyses were performed to examine demographic and incarceration-related patterns by cause of death and gender. Results: Heart disease was the most frequent cause of death in the jail population, followed by cerebrovascular disease and suicide. Mortality rates for infectious/inflammatory conditions and suicide were higher for jail inmates than the general population. Black inmates accounted for the majority of deaths due to illnesses and homicide, and a much higher proportion of white and Hispanic inmates were involved in suicide deaths. Deaths due to drug overdose or withdrawal were disproportionately higher among female inmates compared with male inmates. Conclusion: Consistent review of mortality rates and causes of deaths in jail can be a useful tool to better understand health issues and needs of jail inmates. Surveillance of acute and chronic illnesses and strategic reengineering of jail health care is a key to quality improvement for incarcerated populations for whom the jail system becomes their primary care provider.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify leading causes of death in the jail
• To recognize chronic illnesses among jail inmates
• To discuss the importance of chronic care approach in the jail health care

Keywords: Mortality, Inmates

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered