NCJ Number
56894
Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE Volume: 62 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1969) Pages: 60-63
Date Published
1969
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES THE PREVALENCE OF EPILEPSY AMONG PRISONERS IN DETENTION CENTERS IN ENGLAND AND WALES. DATA FOR THE STUDY WERE GATHERED THROUGH SURVEYS OF PRISON MEDICAL OFFICERS.
Abstract
THE MEDICAL OFFICERS WERE ASKED TO COMPLETE FORMS ABOUT EACH EPILEPTIC MAN OR WOMAN RECEIVED INTO THEIR CARE DURING A CERTAIN MONTH. THE DATA SUBMITTED BY THE MEDICAL OFFICERS WERE THEN COMPARED WITH DATA ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS ADMITTED TO THE DETENTION CENTERS DURING THE MONTH SO THE RATE OF EPILEPSY PER THOUSAND PRISONERS COULD BE CALCULATED. AN OVERALL PREVALENCE OF 8.8 PER 1,000 WAS OBTAINED. COMPARISON OF THIS FIGURE ON EPILEPSY AMONG OFFENDERS WITH THAT FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION SHOWS THAT PRISONERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EPILEPTICS. THE RESULTS SEEM TO SUPPORT THE CONCEPT THAT A RELATIONSHIP EXISTS BETWEEN EPILEPSY AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. IT IS, HOWEVER, ALSO POSSIBLE TO HYPOTHESIZE THAT, SINCE OFFENDERS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FROM POOR SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS, EPILEPSY AND POOR LIVING CONDITIONS HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIP. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT EPILEPTIC RELEASEES BE PROVIDED AFTERCARE EITHER IN THE FORM OF SMALL HOSTELS WHERE HOMELESS EPILEPTICS CAN RESIDE OR AN OUTPATIENT FOLLOWUP SERVICE WITHIN THE PRISON MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WHERE THE RELEASEES CAN BE TREATED CONTINUOUSLY BY THE SAME PERSON. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)