Psychoactive Medication Misadventuring in Correctional Health Care.

Area of Science:

• Corrections
• Psychiatry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Increasing numbers of incarcerated individuals have mental health and comorbid substance use disorders.
• Correctional healthcare settings present unique challenges for medication management and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail medication use and abuse/misuse/misadventuring topics specific to the correctional health care environment.
• To emphasize how a large population with psychiatric and/or substance use disorders impacts these issues.
• To discuss management strategies employed by correctional systems for inmate-patients.

Main Methods:

• Review of medication use and potential for abuse/misuse/misadventuring in correctional settings.
• Analysis of management strategies for inmate-patients with mental health and substance use disorders.
• Discussion of inmate feigning/malingering, medication misadventuring, urine drug screening, and environmental effects of psychoactive medications.

Main Results:

• Correctional systems commonly manage medication use and potential abuse/misuse in inmate-patients with mental health and substance use disorders.
• Strategies include addressing feigning/malingering, medication misadventuring, urine drug screening, and environmental considerations.
• Psychoactive medications can affect heat tolerance and environmental interactions.

Conclusions:

• Correctional healthcare must address the complexities of medication management for a growing population with mental health and substance use disorders.
• Effective strategies are needed to mitigate risks of medication abuse, misuse, and misadventuring.
• Environmental factors and inmate behavior, such as malingering, require careful consideration in treatment plans.