Pharmacy Administration, Policy and Regulation Commons^™

From Prison To The Community: Opportunities For Pharmacists To Support Inmate Medication Adherence, Elliott Bosco, Deborah Shelton

Journal for Evidence-based Practice in Correctional Health

The United States correctional system is a vital treatment source for chronic illnesses. Whether treating a chronic mental or physical illness, correctional healthcare requires effective resource utilization. Limited research exists on pharmacists' ability to directly address inmate medication adherence. Thus, this study explores inmate perception of medication adherence and management as part of their treatment plan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with inmates throughout Connecticut. Diseases of interest were divided into a physical illness group (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, HIV/AIDS) and a mental illness group (depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse). A content analysis was conducted on four questions: 1) Do you …