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The United States has the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world.

Health care for people in jails and prisons is rarely part of mainstream health care and health policy conversations. But people who are incarcerated have significant health needs and a legal right to medical treatment.

In addition, with 10 million people released from jail every year, needs that aren't met while people are incarcerated re-emerge in the community.

While the number of incarcerated people in the United States has started to decline, the share of the incarcerated population that's older has grown, placing additional strain on health system's that are already under a great deal of pressure.

Dr. Rachael Bedard joins A Health Podyssey to discuss the health needs of older people in jail. 

Bedard and coauthors published a paper in the May 2022 issue of Health Affairs assessing the health and health needs of incarcerated older adults in New York City. They found that older incarcerated had greater health vulnerabilities than their younger counterparts. They are also more likely to suffer from serious mental and physical illnesses.

Order the May 2022 issue of Health Affairs for research on telemedicine, disparities, pharmaceuticals, and more.

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