RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Patterns of skin disease in a sample of the federal prison population: a retrospective chart review
JF CMAJ Open
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E326
OP E330
DO 10.9778/cmajo.20150135
VO 4
IS 2
A1 Geneviève Gavigan
A1 Alana McEvoy
A1 James Walker
YR 2016
UL http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/4/2/E326.abstract
AB Background: Dermatology in vulnerable populations is under-researched. Our objective was to analyze the most commonly referred skin diseases affecting the Correctional Service Canada inmates in Ontario.Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, retrospective chart review of inmate patients seen from 2008 until 2013 was performed. Two groups of patients were included in the analysis: those assessed in-person, and those evaluated by e-consult.Results: In the in-person patient group, the 3 most common diagnoses were acne, psoriasis and other superficial mycoses. For the e-consult group, the 3 most frequent diagnoses were acne, psoriasis and rosacea. There was a clear bias toward more inmates being seen in-person where the service was provided (Collins Bay Institution) than from other correctional institutions in Eastern Ontario.Interpretation: Most of the skin diseases that affected the incarcerated population studied were common afflictions, similar to those affecting the general population, which is in agreement with other studies. Future studies investigating skin diseases in male and female inmates across Canada would bestow more generalizable data.