The mental and physical health of older offenders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Carmen Solares; Maja Dobrosavljevic; Henrik Larsson; Samuele Cortese; Henrik Andershed

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.043

The mental and physical health of older offenders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020 Nov:118:440-450. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.043. Epub 2020 Aug 9.

Authors

Carmen Solares¹, Maja Dobrosavljevic², Henrik Larsson³, Samuele Cortese⁴, Henrik Andershed⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
² School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Södra Grev Rosengatan 30, SE-703 62, Örebro, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Södra Grev Rosengatan 30, SE-703 62, Örebro, Sweden; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, School of Psychology, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK; Clinical and Experimental Sciences (CNS and Psychiatry), Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK; Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, NG7 2UH, UK; New York University Child Study Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, SE-701 82, Örebro, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 32783970
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.043

Abstract

A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed to: 1) estimate the prevalence of both mental and physical health problems in older offenders; 2) calculate relative risks for the health conditions in relation to non-offender older adults and; 3) explore the potential confounding role of several variables. We searched five databases up to August 2019. Studies involving offenders older than 50 years old were included. Fifty-five publications met criteria. The pooled prevalence for 18 mental and 28 physical health problems was calculated. In comparison with non-offender older adults, older offenders showed significantly higher risk for Hypertension (RR = 1.16, CI = 1.1, 1.2), Cardiovascular Diseases (RR = 1.24, CI = 1.09, 1.41), Respiratory diseases (RR = 1.75, CI = 1.29, 2.35), and Arthritis (RR = 1.19, CI = 1.12, 1.25). Heterogeneity was significant for all meta-analyses and partially explained by the confounding effect of country, the diagnosis assessment method, and the sample characteristics. Future research should include comparison groups of non-offender older adults and use longitudinal study designs to identify risk factors that can be targeted in preventive programmes.

Keywords: Aging; Criminal behavior; Mental health; Older offenders; Physical health.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Cardiovascular Diseases*
Criminals*
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Middle Aged
Risk Factors