Dive Brief:
- A new study from the University of Pennsylvania looks at the impact of incarceration on the healthcare system through "spillover"--the effect when the behavior of one group in a community changes the situation of others.
- Former inmates impact society by having relatively poor health, lower levels of insurance coverage and a greater risk of uncompensated care.
- Individuals in states with a larger number of former inmates face diminished access to care and specialists, have less trust in physicians, and report less satisfaction with their care, the authors write.
Dive Insight:
The researchers suggest former inmates affect the healthcare of others, including those least likely to be connected to the issue of incarceration, such as the insured, those above age 50, non-Hispanic whites, women and those with incomes significantly above the federal poverty level. "Despite the widespread potential impact, these consequences often remain 'hidden from mainstream society … but they are nonetheless quite powerful,'" the authors write.
They report increases in the number of former inmates in a state are associated with increases in the percentage of uninsured, and with increases in emergency room use per capita.
The solution, they say, is to address the healthcare needs of former inmates.
“Even a relatively small number of former inmates can affect the economics of health care,” the authors write.