Prison health in transitional Albania.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Criminology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Limited data exists on the health status of prisoners in transitional countries, including Albania.
• Prisoners represent a vulnerable population subgroup with unique health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the health status and identify correlates of poor self-perceived health among adult prisoners in Albania.
• To provide evidence for improving health services in Albanian correctional facilities.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 with 401 adult prisoners in Albania.
• Anonymous questionnaires collected data on self-perceived health, diseases, lifestyle factors, and demographics.
• Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to determine associations between health status and covariates.

Main Results:

• 43.1% of prisoners reported poor health, with a higher prevalence in females.
• Significant positive associations were found between poor self-perceived health and female gender, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and presence of diseases.
• Prevalence rates for smoking, excessive alcohol use, and drug use were 59.1%, 34.9%, and 10.2%, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a significant burden of poor health among Albanian prisoners.
• Urgent improvements in health service provision are needed for this vulnerable population in Albania.