Prescriptions for Chronic Conditions Underused in U.S. Jails
Prescription medications for chronic conditions are substantially underused in U.S. jails and state prisons, according to a study published online April 14 in JAMA Health Forum. Jill Curran, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and colleagues evaluated the use of prescription medications for chronic conditions in U.S. jails and prisons.
“Our findings raise serious concerns about the access to and quality of pharmacologic care for very common chronic health conditions among the incarcerated,” a coauthor said in a statement. “We knew going in that the U.S. incarcerated population has a higher prevalence of some chronic diseases. But we were really surprised by the extent of potential undertreatment that we identified.”
