Emergency Department Use by the Inmate Population: A University Hospital`s Experience TUTUKLU POPÜLASYONUNUN ACİL SERVİSİ KULLANIMLARI: BİR ÜNİVERSİTE HASTANESİNİN DENEYİMİ

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YILMAZ A., Kadıoğlu E., Can S., Yaman E.

Journal of Kirikkale University Faculty of Medicine, cilt.28, sa.1, ss.12-15, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)

Özet

Objective: Incarcerated individuals often face unique barriers in accessing timely healthcare due to institutional restrictions and security protocols. Emergency care utilization patterns among this population remain underexplored, particularly in relation to visit timing and associated clinical characteristics. The aim of this study is to compare emergency department visits of detained patients during working hours and outside working hours and to evaluate whether these visits differ in terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Material and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 186 incarcerated patients brought to the emergency department of a university-affiliated hospital under judicial escort between January and December 2023. Data on age, gender, time of visit (working hours: 08:00-17:00; after-hours: 17:00-08:00), mode of arrival, presenting complaints, chronic conditions, vital signs, and visit outcomes were analyzed. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Of the total visits, 67.2% occurred after-hours. There were no significant differences between the working hours and after-hours groups in terms of age (median: 33 years), gender distribution (86.6% male), presenting complaints, chronic disease prevalence, or vital signs. Chest pain (15.5%) and trauma (11.3%) were the most frequent complaints. Most patients (95.7%) were discharged from the emergency department, with no significant difference in admission or rejection rates between groups. Conclusion: While a higher proportion of emergency department visits occurred outside regular hours, there were no notable differences in clinical presentation or outcomes. These findings suggest that logistical and institutional factors influence the timing of prisoner transfers more than medical urgency. Understanding these patterns may aid in optimizing emergency service planning and prison healthcare coordination.