The impact of mass incarceration on outpatients in the Bronx: a card study.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the impact of arrest and incarceration on primary care patients in the Bronx, New York.


METHODS
Patients at three clinics were asked eight questions concerning current and past involvement in criminal proceedings, arrest, and incarceration.


RESULTS
One hundred eighteen patients were surveyed. Eleven (9%) patients were currently involved in criminal proceedings. Twenty-one (18%) currently had a family member in jail or prison. Twenty-nine (25%) reported ever being arrested; 65 (55%) reported that they or a family member had been arrested. Twenty-one (18%) had been incarcerated; 60 (51%) reported they or a family member had spent time in jail or prison. For most variables, rates were higher for men and the adults accompanying children at pediatric visits. Clinicians reported positive experiences discussing incarceration.


CONCLUSIONS
Involvement with the criminal justice system was common among our patients. Discussion of incarceration did not appear to have a negative impact on the clinical relationship.
Shah
Minesh P
MP
Department of Family and Social Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
Edmonds-Myles
Sadiqa
S
Anderson
Matthew
M
Shapiro
Miriam E
ME
Chu
Carolyn
C
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D010045:Outpatients / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012737:Sex Factors; D014504:Urban Health