Background information
Research data
The study utilised THL's population research methods and questions. This will make it possible to compare the state of health of prisoners with that of the general population.
There were over 500 subjects, and the sample represents about a quarter of all prisoners in Finland.
The data collection consisted of a survey sent to all prisoners, an interview with the study nurse and a health examination, as well as laboratory tests on sub-samples, an oral health examination, an oral X-ray and interviews on mental disorders.
The collected data is part of THL's data resources, which can be utilised in accordance with THL's data access authorisation procedure.
Answers for the following questions have been sought from the Wattu IV materials:
- How are Finnish prisoners doing?
- What types of somatic diseases do prisoners have?
- What kind of mental disorders do prisoners have?
- What kinds of social and other wellbeing-related skills do prisoners have?
- How has the health or wellbeing of Finnish prisoners changed compared to the previous Health Survey of Finnish Prisoners?
- How does the health and wellbeing of Finnish prisoners seem compared to the general population?
- What (health) services do prisoners need while they are serving their sentence or after this?
Implementation
The study was conducted at both closed prisons (Helsinki, Riihimäki, Hämeenlinna and Turku) and open prisons (Suomenlinna, Ojoinen, Vanaja and Huittinen). Health Care Services for Prisoners' study nurses were responsible for the recruiting subjects and for conducting their, health examinations and interviews and for taking blood samples. The oral health examination was carried out by dentists and dental nurses employed by Health Care Services for Prisoners, and the examination of mental health disorders were conducted by psychiatric nurses employed by Health Care Services for Prisoners and psychologists employed by the Prison and Probation Service of Finland.
