Health Service system and Prisoners’ Quality of life in a Medical Correctional Institution

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study health service system, and evaluating the prisoners’ quality of life in a medical correctional institution. This study was conducted in two steps: first step was collecting data from 5 administrators or personnel who had experiences with health service system of a medical correctional institution; second step was collecting data from 193 prisoners who were admitted in a medical correctional institution, until treatment process was completed. Data collection was conducted from 2-20 November 2020. A questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument from prisoners.  Descriptive statistical analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and chi-square. Data from personnel group was collected by interview, with content analysis.

The study found that 1. The management of physical structure was conducive to control and provide health services; the management of health services was appropriate, and in accordance with necessity along with the principles of practice, and the management of health services system, covering health promotion, disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. 2. The overall quality of life among the sample group was at a medium level (mean = 68.51, S.D. = 10.07). The personal factors which showed statistical significance (p-value < .01) were gender and underlying personal illnesses.

Based on the research results, recommendations are: administrators should be supportive and encouraging knowledge of personnel, in order to decrease referral cases. In addition, there should be a mental health promotion policy, and appropriate information management for prisoners.