A Health Podyssey

Dr. Rachael Bedard joins Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil on A Health Podyssey to discuss the health needs of older people in jail.

Show Notes

The United States has the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world.

Health care for people in jails and prisons is rarely part of mainstream health care and health policy conversations. But people who are incarcerated have significant health needs and a legal right to medical treatment.

In addition, with 10 million people released from jail every year, needs that aren't met while people are incarcerated re-emerge in the community.

While the number of incarcerated people in the United States has started to decline, the share of the incarcerated population that's older has grown, placing additional strain on health system's that are already under a great deal of pressure.

Dr. Rachael Bedard joins A Health Podyssey to discuss the health needs of older people in jail. 

Bedard and coauthors published a paper in the May 2022 issue of Health Affairs assessing the health and health needs of incarcerated older adults in New York City. They found that older incarcerated had greater health vulnerabilities than their younger counterparts. They are also more likely to suffer from serious mental and physical illnesses.

Order the May 2022 issue of Health Affairs for research on telemedicine, disparities, pharmaceuticals, and more.

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What is A Health Podyssey?

Each week, Health Affairs' Rob Lott brings you in-depth conversations with leading researchers and influencers shaping the big ideas in health policy and the health care industry.

A Health Podyssey goes beyond the pages of the health policy journal Health Affairs to tell stories behind the research and share policy implications. Learn how academics and economists frame their research questions and journey to the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Health policy nerds rejoice! This podcast is for you.