[Management of the hunger strike in prison].
BACKGROUND
Entering prison can feed pre-existent behavior of demands or generate them. Several means of expression are then used. Hunger strike is an average privileged act. It belongs to prison culture.


OBJECTIVE
Estimate how practitioners working in prison take care of the hunger strikers.


METHODS
The study, realised in 2008, was led with all the Units of Consultations and Ambulatory Care in France. It is a declarative investigation where a medical testimony by unit was asked.


RESULTS
From 174 "maisons d'arrêt" and establishments for punishment in France, 95 answers were obtained. This situation was already seen by 98,8% of the doctors. The motives for hunger strike were mainly judicial for "maisons d'arrêt" (70,1%) and prison motives for detention centers (68,7%). Mainly, doctors opted for a neutral attitude (63% of the cases). The hunger strikes were mostly brief (less than a week in 85% of the cases). Only 5,5% of the doctors proposed written information concerning the risks incurred during a fast. A doctor in 4 approximately (23%) was already witness to complications due to fasting. The fact that a patient may refuse care makes the medical approach difficult. Faced with such a situation, 45% of the doctors privileged their duty of care, 28% respected the patient's wishes, and 27% did not pronounce. From a therapeutic point of view, the place of treatment using vitamins was rarely recognized (32,7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Hunger strike is rarely severe, but it is rather frequent in prison so that every doctor working there will be confronted with it. The refeeding syndrome seems often ignored. The coverage of hunger strike is governed by the law, but ethical questions stay in the appreciation of every doctor.
Fayeulle
Stéphanie
S
Service de médecine interne, maladies infectieuses, UCSA, centre hospitalier régional Félix-Guyon, 97400 Saint-Denis, Réunion. s.fayeulle@gmail.com
Renou
Frédéric
F
Protais
Emmanuel
E
Hédouin
Valéry
V
Wartel
Guillaume
G
Yvin
Jean-Luc
JL
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005215:Fasting / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009042:Motivation; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000193:education / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055677:Refeeding Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013217:Starvation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016312:Treatment Refusal