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Background: There is little research with people who experience intellectual/developmental disabilities and imprisonment. Methods: The study linked health and correctional data to examine prevalence of intellectual/developmental disabilities and health and correctional characteristics among adults experiencing their first federal incarceration between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2011 (n = 9278) and two non-incarcerated groups (n = 10,086,802). Results: The prevalence of intellectual/developmental disabilities was 2.1% in the incarcerated group and 0.9% in the non-incarcerated group. Before incarceration, those with, versus without, intellectual/developmental disabilities were at greater risk of traumatic brain injury, mental illness, and substance use disorders. While incarcerated, those with intellectual/developmental disabilities were more likely to incur serious institutional disciplinary charges. Post-incarceration, persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities were at greater risk of emergency department visits, and psychiatric and acute hospitalizations, than the non-incarcerated groups. Conclusions: People with intellectual/developmental disabilities are overrepresented in Canadian federal correctional institutions. The authors offer strategies to support people prior to, during, and post-incarceration.

Background: Data on the prevalence of developmental disabilities in people who experience imprisonment and on their characteristics are lacking. Methods: The present authors identified adults with developmental disabilities who were released from Ontario provincial prisons in 2010 and a general population comparator group using administrative data. The present authors examined demographic characteristics, morbidity and healthcare use. Results: The prevalence of developmental disabilities was 2.2% in the prison group (N = 52,302) and 0.7% in the general population (N = 10,466,847). The prevalence of psychotic illness, substance-related disorder and self-harm was higher among people in the prison group with developmental disabilities. People with developmental disabilities were more likely to have emergency department visits and hospitalizations in prison and in the year after release. Conclusions: People with developmental disabilities are overrepresented in provincial prisons and have a high burden of disease. Strategies are indicated to prevent incarceration and to improve health.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious public health concern and overrepresented among justice-involved populations. An emerging area of research focuses on the complex, interrelated and unmet health and social needs of justice-involved women and youth with TBI. Evidence of these needs continues to grow, yet the health and justice systems continue to underperform in supporting the health and social care of justice-involved women and youth. This commentary is a call to action to begin to redress these gaps. We first provide an overview of the needs of women and youth with TBI that affect their transition from custody to community, including those related to victimization, trauma, mental health, substance use, and homelessness. We then highlight the current gaps in knowledge and practice with respect to interventions for women and youth with TBI at transition from custody. The available evidence for the impact of interventions on people with head injury who are justice-involved is sparse, especially studies of interventions focused on women and youth. We conclude with a call for implementation science studies to support translation from research to practice, emphasizing that researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and women and youth at transition should collaborate to develop, implement, and evaluate accommodations and interventions for TBI. To have meaningful, positive impacts on the systems that serve these women and youth, interdisciplinary service delivery approaches should aim to prevent, raise awareness, identify, and provide timely support and services for the varied needs of women and youth with TBI in transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Canadian Aboriginal infants experience poor health compared with other Canadian infants. Breastfeeding protects against many infant infections that Canadian Aboriginals disproportionately experience. The objective of our research was to estimate the proportion of select infant infection and mortality outcomes that could be prevented if all Canadian Aboriginal infants were breastfed. METHODS: We used Levin's formula to estimate the proportion of three infectious outcomes and one mortality outcome that could be prevented in infancy by breastfeeding. Estimates were calculated for First Nations (both on- and off-reserve), Metis and Inuit as well as all Canadian infants for comparison. We extracted prevalence estimates of breastfeeding practices from national population-based surveys. We extracted relative risk estimates from published meta-analyses. RESULTS: Between 5.1% and 10.6% of otitis media, 24.3% and 41.4% of gastrointestinal infection, 13.8% and 26.1% of hospitalizations from lower respiratory tract infections, and 12.9% and 24.6% of sudden infant death could be prevented in Aboriginal infants if they received any breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: Interventions that promote, protect and support breastfeeding may prevent a substantial proportion of infection and mortality in Canadian Aboriginal infants. KEY WORDS: Aboriginal; breast feeding; communicable diseases; sudden infant death; epidemiology OBJECTIFS: La sante des nourrissons autochtones canadiens est mauvaise par rapport a celle des autres nourrissons canadiens. L'allaitement maternel protege contre plusieurs infections infantiles que les Autochtones canadiens contractent de facon disproportionnee. L'objectif de notre recherche etait d'estimer la proportion d'infections infantiles selectionnees et la mortalite qui en resulte qui pourraient etre evitee si tous les nourrissons autochtones canadiens etaient nourris au sein. METHODES: Nous avons utilise la formule de Levin pour estimer la proportion de trois infections contractees et d'une mortalite qui aurait pu etre evitees grace a l'allaitement maternel. On a fait des estimations pour les Premieres Nations (a l'interieur comme a l'exterieur des reserves), les Metis et les Inuits, de meme que pour tous les nourrissons canadiens a titre de comparaison. Nous avons extrait l'estimation de la prevalence des pratiques d'allaitement maternel a partir d'etudes nationales fondees sur la population. Nous avons extrait l'estimation du risque relatif des metaanalyses publiees. RESULTATS: De 5,1% a 10,6% des otites moyennes, de 24,3% a 41,4% des infections gastro-intestinales, de 13,8% a 26,1% des hospitalisations dues aux infections des voies respiratoires inferieures et de 12,9% a 24,6% des morts subites de nourrissons auraient pu etre evitees chez les nourrissons autochtones s'ils avaient ete nourris au sein. CONCLUSION: Les interventions qui favorisent, protegent et appuient l'allaitement maternel pourraient eviter une forte proportion des infections et des deces chez les nourrissons autochtones canadiens. MOTS CLES: Autochtone; allaitement maternel; maladies transmissibles; mort subite du nourrisson; epidemiologie La traduction du resume se trouve a la fin de l'article. Can J Public Health 2015;106(4):e217-e222 doi: 10.17269/CJPH.106.4855, Although infection and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are common causes of morbidity and mortality in all infants, (1,2) Aboriginal infants appear to be disproportionately burdened. (3) This is true [...]