Challenging Health Inequities in Incarceration: a Call for Equitable Care for Kidney Disease and Hypertension

AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo review the current literature on care of hypertension and chronic kidney disease for people who are currently and formerly incarcerated, and to make recommendations for improving outcomes.Recent FindingsThere is a growing body of literature describing care for kidney disease and hypertension for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals that documents the provision of care itself, notably that many jails contract with private companies; the system is not designed to provide sustained, chronic disease care; and the transition from incarceration to community is fraught with gaps in care. However, deficiencies in data collection and regulation still limit our understanding of the quality of care provided in jails and prisons. Furthermore, more data is needed to understand the impact of structural racism in the criminal legal system on overall disparities in care for hypertension and kidney disease. Insurance coverage rates for people who were formerly incarcerated continue to be lower than the general population despite Medicaid expansion in many states. There is little recent data regarding kidney replacement therapy for this population despite known variation in dialysis modalities and transplant programs by state. Transitions clinics, which connect people who were formerly incarcerated with care in the community upon release, are growing and are important avenues by which to deliver care.SummaryPeople who are incarcerated are disproportion...
Source: Current Hypertension Reports - Category: Primary Care Source Type: research