Assessing Bias in Medication Administration in Relation to Incarceration History in a New Orleans Student Clinic...

Formerly incarcerated individuals experience a disproportionate burden of disease and face greater barriers to accessing healthcare. This population also represents a significant proportion of patients seen in New Orleans' student-run clinics. This study examines the chief complaints among formerly incarcerated patients and evaluates whether prescribing patterns differ for this group, with the aim of identifying potential biases in treatment practices. Data for this study were obtained from REDCap surveys administered to patients at student-run clinics. Patients were categorized by chief complaint, and chi-square analysis was used to assess whether incarceration status was associated with initiation of the corresponding treatment. Analyses were performed in SPSS, with p-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Logistic regression was subsequently conducted to evaluate potential confounders and to confirm associations identified in the chi-square analysis. No significant differences were observed in overall chief complaints or overall medication prescribing between formerly incarcerated and non-incarcerated patients. However, after adjusting for demographic factors, formerly incarcerated patients presenting with respiratory symptoms were less likely to receive cough and cold medications. These findings suggest a potential bias in prescribing practices, as formerly incarcerated patients presenting with respiratory symptoms were less likely to receive cough and cold medications compared to their non-incarcerated counterparts.