Defining avoidable healthcare-associated harm in prisons: A mixed-method development study (March 2023)

Summary

Reducing avoidable healthcare-associated harm is a global health priority. Progress in evaluating the burden and aetiology of avoidable harm in prisons is limited compared with other healthcare sectors. To address this gap, this study, published in PLOS ONE, aimed to develop a definition of avoidable harm to facilitate future epidemiological studies in prisons.

Authors conclude:

"We have developed a working definition of avoidable harm in prison health care that enables consideration of caveats associated with prison environments and systems. Our definition enables future studies of the safety of prison healthcare to standardise outcome measurement."