Male prisoners develop unhealthy hearts at younger ages than people on the outside
The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is higher among male prisoners than among men of the same age who live in the community. CVD affects the heart and blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The largest European study of the heart health of prisoners found that more than one in ten of those who had a health check had a high risk of future heart disease. This is the same rate as the general population, even though the prisoner population is on average ten years younger. The study also estimated that prisoners were twice as likely as the general population to have significant anxiety and depression.
…….Heart disease is the most common natural cause of death among prisoners in the UK. As part of a national cardiovascular health screening programme, male inmates over 35 are eligible for NHS checks…..
The study found that:
- three-quarters of invited prisoners accepted the checks
- black prisoners were more than twice as likely to decline a health check compared to prisoners of other ethnic groups (2.7 times more likely)
- of the prisoners who took part, more than one in ten (12%) had a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)
- CVD risk was similar to community levels, but the prison population was ten years younger
- symptoms of depression were estimated to be in one in five (21%) prisoners, with almost as many (18%) estimated to have significant anxiety, which is double the rates found in the general population
- prisoners serving less than two years had a similar risk of developing CVD in the next decade, compared to those serving longer sentences……
The results offer one of the first large-scale assessments of health inside UK men’s prisons – traditionally an under-served population. It therefore provides an important baseline of the levels of CVD and its risk factors among the prison community. This information can be used to design better evidence-based healthcare…….
The study also shows that a sizeable group – one in four– of prisoners refused the checks. Future research is needed to explore this and to find ways to increase uptake, perhaps by analysing a possible link to poor mental health.
To read the full article and study, please see the following links
younger-ages-than-people-on-the-outside/
