Totadri Dhimal, MD, Paula Cupertino, PhD, Aqsa Ghaffar, BS, Yue Li, PhD, Xueya Cai, PhD, Cristopher Soto, BS, Megha Ramaswamy, PhD, MPH, Bruce W. Herdman, PhD, Fergal J. Fleming, MD, MPH, and Anthony Loria, MD, MSCI
Objective:. This study, examining literature up to December 2023, aims to comprehensively assess surgical care for incarcerated individuals, identifying crucial knowledge gaps for informing future health services research and interventions. Background:. The US prison system detains around 2 million individuals, mainly young, indigent males from ethnic and racial minorities. The constitutional right to healthcare does not protect this population from unique health challenges and disparities. The scarcity of literature on surgical care necessitates a systematic review to stimulate research, improve care quality, and address health issues within this marginalized community. Methods:. A systematic review, pre-registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023454782), involved searches in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Original research on surgical care for incarcerated individuals was included, excluding case reports/series (