Experiences of Health Care Professionals Caring for People From Prison in Acute Hospital Settings: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Abstract

Introduction: People from prison often present to acute hospitals with complex and chronic health conditions. Their presentation to acute hospitals poses unique challenges for health care professionals (HCPs) who work outside prison hospitals. This systematic review aimed synthesize evidence on the experiences of HCPs caring for people from prison in acute hospitals. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines informed the structure of this review. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025625502). Electronic databases were searched for relevant primary studies published in English language between January 01, 2004, and January 31, 2025. Additional citation and manual searches were completed. Data were extracted, and a narrative synthesis was completed. The search identified 753 studies, of which 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. The ten studies were from four countries and involved 1,515 HCPs. The included studies identified diverse experiences, and a narrative synthesis identified four themes: (1) emotional and ethical distress, (2) disrupted clinical roles, (3) dehumanizing practices and bias, and (4) advocacy and empathetic resilience. Context-specific protocols are needed, with joint training for HCPs and prison officers jointly produced by hospitals and the criminal justice system.