The relative influence of socio-demographic, lifestyle, environmental factors and co-morbidity on self rated health of the Irish prisoner population.

A National survey of prisoners' health status was undertaken in 1999/2000 across 13 prisons. Median age of all male prisoners (n = 718) was 25 years. At univariate level, prisoners demonstrated high levels of ill-health, associated with poor self-rated health, including chronic activity limiting illness, GHQ caseness, anxiety and depression. Those with poor self rated health were also of lower educational status, more likely to smoke, or to have taken drugs. In a final multivariate model (n = 512), education level, GHQ caseness, prescribed medication, chronic self limiting illness and reported verbal abuse by prison officers were all independently predictive of poor self rated health. Upstream policy interventions are required to limit the impact of social disadvantage on offending and to maximise proactive health care and rehabilitation during prison stay.