title: [Monitoring system on prison health: feasibility and recommendations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article presents the results of two studies designed to define the feasibility and framework of the future prison health monitoring system in France. The objective of the first study was to obtain the points of view of professionals involved in prison health and the second study was designed to assess the feasibility of using prisoner's medical files for epidemiological purposes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The point of view of various professionals was collected by questionnaire sent to 43 randomly selected prison physicians and by 22 semi-directive interviews. The feasibility study was based on analysis of the medical files of 330 randomly selected prisoners in eleven prisons chosen in order to reflect the diversity of correctional settings and prison populations. Additional interviews were conducted with the medical staff of these prison facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is a consensus on the need to monitor prison health, but there are contrasting views on data collection methods (surveys or routinely collected data]. The feasibility study also showed that the implementation of a prison health monitoring system based on routinely collected data from prisoner's medical records was not feasible at the present time in France.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the light of these findings, it is recommended to initially develop a monitoring system based on regular nationwide surveys, while pursuing computerization and standardization of health data in prison.
authors.forename: Aude-Emmanuelle
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Develay
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verdot
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grémy
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011330:Prisons; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires