title: An assessment of health related quality of life in a male prison population in Greece associations with health related characteristics and characteristics of detention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prisoners constitute a group with increased health and social care needs. Although implementing policies that aim at improving outcomes within this population should be a priority area, studies that attempt to assess health outcomes and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess HRQoL in a prison population in Greece and to explore the relationship between HRQoL and a set of individual sociodemographic and health related characteristics and characteristics of detention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study involving 100 male prisoners was conducted in the prison of Corinth in Greece. HRQoL was assessed through the use of the SF-36 and the EQ-5D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean physical and mental summary scores of the SF-36 were 55.33 and 46.82, respectively. The EQ-VAS mean score was 76.41%, while the EQ-5D index was 0.72. Multivariate analysis identified a statistical relationship between HRQoL and the conditions of detention, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, and mental problems. The use of narcotics in particular is significantly associated with lower HRQoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of policies that aim at preventing the use of narcotics within the prison environment is expected to contribute to improved HRQoL in this population.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Togas
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece ; LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UK.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3480-7796
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raikou
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, 26335 Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0528-755X
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niakas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006115:Greece; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011330:Prisons; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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