Ascertainment of Vital Status Among People With Criminal Justice Involvement Using Department of Corrections Records, the US National Death Index, and Social Security Master Death Files.
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SUBMITTER: Binswanger IA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5430939 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundHIV-infected individuals recently released from incarceration have suboptimal linkage and engagement in community HIV care. We conducted a study to evaluate an information and communication technology intervention to increase linkage to community care among HIV-infected persons recently involved in the criminal justice (CJ) system. Baseline characteristics including risk behaviors and HIV care indicators are reported and stratified by gender.MethodsWe recruited HIV-infected individuals in the District of Columbia jail and persons with a recent history of incarceration through community and street outreach. Participants completed a baseline computer-assisted personal interview regarding HIV care and antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence, substance use, and sexual behaviors. CD4 and HIV plasma viral load testing were performed at baseline or obtained through medical records. Data were analyzed for the sample overall and stratified by gender.ResultsOf 110 individuals, 70% were community-enrolled, mean age was 40 (SD = 10.5), 85% were Black, and 58% were male, 24% female, and 18% transgender women. Nearly half (47%) had condomless sex in the three months prior to incarceration. Although drug dependence and hazardous alcohol use were highly prevalent overall, transgender women were more likely to have participated in drug treatment than men and women (90%, 61%, and 50% respectively; p = 0.01). Prior to their most recent incarceration, 80% had an HIV provider and 91% had ever taken ART. Among those, only 51% reported ?90% ART adherence. Fewer women (67%) had received HIV medications during their last incarceration compared to men (96%) and transgender women (95%; p = 0.001). Although neither was statistically significant, transgender women and men had higher proportions of baseline HIV viral suppression compared to women (80%, 69%, and 48.0% respectively, p>0.05); a higher proportion of women had a CD4 count ?200 compared to men and transgender women (17%, 8% and 5% respectively; p>0.05).ConclusionsIn this study, HIV-infected persons with recent incarceration in Washington, DC reported important risk factors and co-morbidities, yet the majority had access to HIV care and ART prior to, during, and after incarceration. Self-reported ART adherence was sub-optimal, and while there were not statistically significant differences, CJ-involved women appeared to be at greatest risk of poor HIV outcomes.Trial registrationRegistered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 10/16/2012. Reference number: NCT01721226.
| S-EPMC5231337 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo determine the reliability of the Social Security Death Master File (DMF) after the November 2011 changes limiting the inclusion of state records.Data sourcesSecondary data from the DMF, New York State (NYS) and New Jersey (NJ) Vital Statistics (VS), and institutional data warehouse.Study designRetrospective study. Two cohorts: discharge date before November 1, 2011, (pre-2011) or after (post-2011). Death in-hospital used as gold standard. NYS VS used for out-of-hospital death. Sensitivity, specificity, Cohen's Kappa, and 1-year survival calculated.Data collection methodsPatients matched to DMF using Social Security Number, or date of birth and Soundex algorithm. Patients matched to NY and NJ VS using probabilistic linking.Principal findings97 069 patients January 2007-March 2016: 39 075 pre-2011; 57 994 post-2011. 3777 (3.9 percent) died in-hospital. DMF sensitivity for in-hospital death 88.9 percent (? = 0.93) pre-2011 vs 14.8 percent (? = 0.25) post-2011. DMF sensitivity for NY deaths 74.6 percent (? = 0.71) pre-2011 vs 26.6 percent (? = 0.33) post-2011. DMF sensitivity for NJ deaths 62.6 percent (? = 0.64) pre-2011 vs 10.8 percent (? = 0.15) post-2011. DMF sensitivity for out-of-hospital death 71.4 percent pre-2011 (? = 0.58) vs 28.9 percent post-2011 (? = 0.34). Post-2011, 1-year survival using DMF data was overestimated at 95.8 percent, vs 86.1 percent using NYS VS.ConclusionsThe DMF is no longer a reliable source of death data. Researchers using the DMF may underestimate mortality.
| S-EPMC6338290 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceHealth disparities between African Americans and Whites have persisted in the United States. Researchers have recently hypothesized that the relatively poor health of African Americans may be caused, in part, by African American overrepresentation in the criminal justice system.ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that criminal justice system involvement is associated with poor health and greater health risk when controlling for unobserved family factors through a discordant sibling design.MethodsSubjects were drawn from the Carolina African American Twin Study of Aging (CAATSA). Criminal conviction records were extracted from North Carolina's Department of Public Safety. Six measures of health and one measure of health risk were analyzed. The health of convicted respondents was compared to that of unrelated non-convicted respondents matched on childhood and demographic factors ("matched sample"). Convicted respondents were also compared to non-convicted siblings ("discordant sibling sample").ResultsThe matched sample included 134 CAATSA respondents. On average, convicted CAATSA respondents, compared to matched non-convicted respondents, were in worse health. Convicted respondents had worse mean self-reported health, worse lung function, more depressive symptoms, and smoked more. The discordant sibling sample included 74 respondents. Convicted siblings and non-convicted siblings had similar self-reported health, depressive symptoms, and smoking. In general, non-convicted siblings were in worse health than non-convicted respondents from the matched sample, implying that poor health runs in families.ConclusionsThis study provided preliminary evidence that some of the association between a criminal record and poor health is confounded by family factors. Though more research is needed to support these results, the study suggests that criminal involvement may not be associated with the surfeit of health problems observed among African Americans. The criminal justice system, nonetheless, could be used to decrease the health disparity.
| S-EPMC6369245 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundStudies linking large pregnancy cohorts with mortality data can address critical questions about long-term implications of gravid health, yet relevant US data are scant. We examined the feasibility of linking the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a large multiracial U.S. cohort study of pregnant women (n = 48,197; 1959-1966), to death records.MethodsWe abstracted essential National Death Index (NDI) (1979-2016) (n = 46,428). We performed a linkage to the Social Security Administration Death Master File through 2016 (n = 46,450). Genealogists manually searched vital status in 2016 for a random sample of women (n = 1,249). We conducted agreement analyses for women with abstracted data among the three sources. As proof of concept, we calculated adjusted associations between mortality and smoking and other sociodemographic factors using Cox proportional hazards regression.ResultsWe successfully abstracted identifying information for most of the cohort (97%). National Death Index identified the greatest proportion of participants deceased (35%), followed by genealogists (31%) and Death Master File (23%). Estimates of agreement (κ [95% confidence interval]) between National Death Index and Death Master File were lower (0.52 [0.51, 0.53]) than for National Death Index and genealogist (0.66 [0.61, 0.70]). As expected, compared with nonsmokers, smoking ≥1 pack per day was associated with elevated mortality for all vital sources and was strongest for National Death Index.ConclusionsLinking this historic cohort with mortality records was feasible and agreed reasonably on vital status when compared with other data sources. Such linkage enables future examination of pregnancy conditions in relation to mortality in a diverse U.S. cohort.
| S-EPMC7042706 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In March-April, 2020, we communicated with a cohort of criminal justice-involved (CJI) women to see how they were navigating COVID-19, chronic illness, homelessness, and shelter-in-place orders in Oakland, Birmingham, and Kansas City. We report on conversations with N = 35 women (out of the cohort of 474 women) and our own observations from ongoing criminal justice involvement studies. Women reported barriers to protecting themselves given widespread unstable housing and complex health needs, though many tried to follow COVID-19 prevention recommendations. Women expressed dissatisfaction with the suspension of research activities, as the pandemic contributed to a heightened need for study incentives, such as cash, emotional support, and other resources. COVID-19 is illuminating disparities between those who can follow recommended actions to prevent infection and those who lack resources to do so. Concerted efforts are required to reduce inequities that put the 1.3 million U.S. women under criminal justice supervision at risk for infection and mortality.
| S-EPMC7375331 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To compare the willingness for HCV testing, HCV-knowledge, socio economic status, and HCV related risky behavior among male and female Latino offenders. Participants (n = 201) were recruited from the corrections system in Miami and interviewed. Backward stepwise logistic regression was conducted to compare gender-associated risk. Females (n = 81) were more likely to be engaged in risky sexual and drug behavior compared to males (n = 120). Overall, around 70% of the study population were interested to be tested for HCV if offered with no gender difference (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.4-4.9). However, females were more likely to have lower income (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.9) and engage in more HCV related risky sexual behaviors (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3-6.2), despite having better HCV related knowledge in five out of six items (OR 1.5-3.2), but had less crime activity (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.8). HCV screening among Latino offenders would offer an efficient opportunity to reduce its burden as well as increase knowledge among vulnerable and high-risk population.
| S-EPMC7061066 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We investigate whether autistic people's vulnerability is taken into account at each stage of the criminal justice system (CJS). Defense lawyers from 12 nations were included in the study although the sample was predominantly from the UK. Lawyers completed an online survey regarding one case in which they had defended an autistic client between January 2015 and January 2020; and on one case in which they had defended a nonautistic client charged with a similar offense, to provide a comparison group. Ninety-three lawyers (85% in the UK) reported on one autistic case, and 53 also reported on one nonautistic case. 75% of autistic clients were not given reasonable adjustments during the process. Only 43% were offered an appropriate adult during police investigations, even though they had an existing diagnosis of autism. 59% of prosecution barristers and 46% of judges said or did something during the trial that made the lawyers concerned that they did not have an adequate understanding of autism. Lawyers were 7.58 times more likely to be concerned about their autistic client's effective participation in court and were 3.83 times more likely to be concerned that their autistic clients would engage in self-harm, compared with their nonautistic clients. There is a failure to identify and address autistic peoples' disability within the CJS. There is a need for mandatory autism training for police officers and the judiciary, with a focus on identifying autism and understanding the needs of autistic people so that reasonable adjustments are offered in all cases. LAY SUMMARY: This study sought to investigate if the needs of autistic people are being overlooked by the police and other professionals within the CJS. Results show that autistic people are not always given the support they need during police questioning or in court. The experience of being involved with the police may also have a more negative impact on autistic peoples' mental health than that of nonautistic people.
| S-EPMC9314022 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPatients with a serious mental illness often receive care that is fragmented due to reduced availability of or access to resources, and inadequate, discontinuous, and uncoordinated care across health, social services, and criminal justice organizations. This article describes the creation of a multisystem analysis that derives insights from an integrated dataset including patient access to case management services, medical services, and interactions with the criminal justice system.MethodsData were combined from electronic systems within a US mental health ecosystem that included mental health and substance abuse services, as well as data from the criminal justice system. Cox models were applied to test the associations between delivery of services and re-incarceration. Additionally, machine learning was used to train and validate a predictive model to examine effects of non-modifiable risk factors (age, past arrests, mental health diagnosis) and modifiable risk factors (outpatient, medical and case management services, and use of a jail diversion program) on re-arrest outcome.ResultsAn association was found between past arrests and admission to crisis stabilization services in this population (N = 10,307). Delivery of case management or medical services provided after release from jail was associated with a reduced risk for re-arrest. Predictive models linked non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors and outcomes and predicted the probability of re-arrests with fair accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.67).ConclusionsBy modeling the complex interactions between risk factors, service delivery, and outcomes, systems of care might be better enabled to meet patient needs and improve outcomes.
| S-EPMC5362563 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundExtended-release naltrexone, a sustained-release monthly injectable formulation of the full mu-opioid receptor antagonist, is effective for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence. Data supporting its effectiveness in U.S. criminal justice populations are limited.MethodsIn this five-site, open-label, randomized trial, we compared a 24-week course of extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol) with usual treatment, consisting of brief counseling and referrals for community treatment programs, for the prevention of opioid relapse among adult criminal justice offenders (i.e., persons involved in the U.S. criminal justice system) who had a history of opioid dependence and a preference for opioid-free rather than opioid maintenance treatments and who were abstinent from opioids at the time of randomization. The primary outcome was the time to an opioid-relapse event, which was defined as 10 or more days of opioid use in a 28-day period as assessed by self-report or by testing of urine samples obtained every 2 weeks; a positive or missing sample was computed as 5 days of opioid use. Post-treatment follow-up occurred at weeks 27, 52, and 78.ResultsA total of 153 participants were assigned to extended-release naltrexone and 155 to usual treatment. During the 24-week treatment phase, participants assigned to extended-release naltrexone had a longer median time to relapse than did those assigned to usual treatment (10.5 vs. 5.0 weeks, P<0.001; hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.68), a lower rate of relapse (43% vs. 64% of participants, P<0.001; odds ratio, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.65), and a higher rate of opioid-negative urine samples (74% vs. 56%, P<0.001; odds ratio, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.48 to 3.54). At week 78 (approximately 1 year after the end of the treatment phase), rates of opioid-negative urine samples were equal (46% in each group, P=0.91). The rates of other prespecified secondary outcome measures--self-reported cocaine, alcohol, and intravenous drug use, unsafe sex, and reincarceration--were not significantly lower with extended-release naltrexone than with usual treatment. Over the total 78 weeks observed, there were no overdose events in the extended-release naltrexone group and seven in the usual-treatment group (P=0.02).ConclusionsIn this trial involving criminal justice offenders, extended-release naltrexone was associated with a rate of opioid relapse that was lower than that with usual treatment. Opioid-use prevention effects waned after treatment discontinuation. (Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00781898.).
| S-EPMC5454800 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionSmokers in the criminal justice system represent some of the most disadvantaged smokers in the U.S., as they have high rates of smoking (70%-80%) and are primarily uninsured, with low access to medical interventions. Few studies have examined smoking-cessation interventions in racially diverse smokers, and none have examined these characteristics among individuals supervised in the community. The purpose of this study is to determine if four sessions of standard behavioral counseling for smoking cessation would differentially aid smoking cessation for African American versus non-Hispanic white smokers under community corrections supervision.DesignAn RCT.Setting/participantsFive hundred smokers under community corrections supervision were recruited between 2009 and 2013 via flyers posted at the community corrections offices.InterventionAll participants received 12 weeks of bupropion plus brief physician advice to quit smoking. Half of the participants received four sessions of 20-30 minutes of smoking-cessation counseling following tobacco treatment guidelines, whereas half received no additional counseling.Main outcome measuresGeneralized estimating equations were used to determine factors associated with smoking abstinence across time. Analyses were conducted in 2014.ResultsThe end-of-treatment abstinence rate across groups was 9.4%, with no significant main effects indicating group differences. However, behavioral counseling had a differential effect on cessation: whites who received counseling had higher quit rates than whites who did not receive counseling. Conversely, African Americans who did not receive counseling had higher average cessation rates than African Americans who received counseling. Overall, medication-adherent African American smokers had higher abstinence rates relative to other smokers.ConclusionsRacial disparities in smoking cessation are not evident among those who are adherent to medication. More research is needed to better understand the differential effect that behavioral counseling might have on treatment outcomes between white and African American smokers under community corrections supervision.
| S-EPMC4546875 | biostudies-literature