Health in prisons (WHO)

The prevalence of disease among prisoners is much higher than among the general population. In the context of a lack of information on the issue, the WHO Regional Office for Europe has set up a European database on health in prisons (HIPED). A register developed in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Prison Health Programme (HIPP) in the United Kingdom.

The data was collected through national questionnaires on all public health data for prisons in the different European countries for the year 2016-17. The database is meant to help member states identify areas where efforts are needed. Organized into seven main areas, it includes statistics on prison population, prison mortality, the prison health care system, the prison environment, disease screening, and the prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases.