Health of prisoners

Quality of life is perceived as poor

According to the 2023 study, the quality of life of prisoners, especially women, was lower than that in the rest of the population. Compared to the previous study, the quality of life of male prisoners had decreased in the previous roughly 15 years, and the quality of life of women had also not improved.

Chronic illnesses, mental health symptoms and loneliness are common problems

The results confirmed that prisoners have multiple problems, and they are among those who need a lot of social and health care services. Chronic illnesses and the use of health services were more common compared to the entire population, and about a quarter of the prisoners were found to be heavy users of health care services.

Eight per cent of the prisoners had experienced psychosis during their lifetime (excluding substance-induced psychosis, which 34 per cent had experienced). In addition to psychosis, almost everyone had a substance use or personality disorder, often both.

Depression and anxiety were highlighted in both genders as being prevalent both during one’s lifetime and as a current disorder. Nearly one in two female prisoners had suffered from severe depression, one in three from panic disorder and one in four from post-traumatic stress disorder during their lifetime. The prevalence rates were lower among men, but the order of prevalence was the same.

Prisoners have less trust in other people than the rest of the population. Prisoners who have been incarcerated more often have less trust than first-time offenders. Prisoners are less satisfied with life than the rest of the population. Loneliness varies among prisoners. Female prisoners are less lonely than men.

Risk factors and accidents are more common among prisoners than the rest of the population

Compared to the general population, prisoners have more health and welfare risk factors, such as a high body mass index, high waist circumference and poor hand grip strength.

Based on self-reporting, accidents have caused significantly more harm to prisoners than to the rest of the population. During the previous one-year period, male prisoners had found it difficult or impossible to perform normal activities due to an injury on 30 days, compared to 2.6 days for men in the general population. The figure is also several times higher among female prisoners.

Work ability and working life do not meet

Seventy-five per cent of male and 86% of female participants came to prison from outside the working life. The share of those unemployed before their imprisonment was 64 per cent of men and 69 per cent of women.

Two-thirds of men and just over half of the women assessed their work ability to be good. Compared to the previous prisoner study, in which the corresponding share was over 80 per cent, the ratio has declined. In every third case, reduced work ability could be restored through rehabilitation.

Source

The Health and Wellbeing of Prisoners 2023. Report 7/2023.

Description of the statistics

The Health and Wellbeing of Finnish Prisoners 2023 (Wattu IV) is a joint health examination study between the Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL), the Prison and Probation Service of Finland (Rise) and the Health Care Services for Prisoners (VTH) on a population group that is not visible in traditional population studies. Earlier health surveys of Finnish prisoners have been a part of Rise’s activities, and the previous Wattu III survey report was published in 2010. The data collection for Wattu IV utilised health and well-being indicators commonly used in population surveys.