NCJ Number
62523
Date Published
1978
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THE ORGANIZATION OF EPILEPSY TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS OUTLINED IN THIS AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PAMPHLET.
Abstract
RECENT STUDIES HAVE SUGGESTED THAT EPILEPSY MAY BE TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE FREQUENT AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF JAILS AND PRISONS THAN IN THE GENERAL POPULATION, MAKING IT IMPERATIVE THAT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE AN ORGANIZED TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR EPILEPSY. THIS PROGRAM SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL INMATES WITH EPILEPSY HAVE HAD APPROPRIATE DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES; THAT SERUM ANTICONVULSANT DRUG LEVELS ARE PERIODICALLY OBTAINED; AND THAT THOSE PERSONS WITH POORLY CONTROLLED OR ATYPICAL SEIZURES HAVE TIMELY ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED EPILEPSY SERVICES, CONSULTANTS, AND DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES. EPILEPSY-SPECIFIC RECORDKEEPING SYSTEMS SHOULD BE DESIGNED AND USED, INCLUDING A SUMMARY OF DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS, ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS OF SEIZURE EPISODES AND FREQUENCY, ANTICONVULSANT DRUG INTAKE AND SERUM LEVELS, AND PERIODIC EXAMINATIONS TO MONITOR FOR ANY SIDE EFFECTS OF THE MEDICATIONS. AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF AN ORGANIZED EPILEPSY PROGRAM IS CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR MEDICAL, NURSING, PARAMEDICAL, AND CORRECTIONAL STAFF, INCLUDING TRAINING IN FIRST AID PROCEDURES FOR AN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE. BECAUSE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS CAN ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE PREVENTION OF TUBERCULOSIS, PROCEDURES FOR INSTITUTING A TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING PROGRAM ARE PRESENTED, EMPHASIZING INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND PATIENT SUPERVISION AND EDUCATION. TABULAR DATA ON TUBERCULOSIS AND EPILEPSY TREATMENT ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES AND RESOURCE LISTS.