Prospective National Survey of the Palliative Situation Among Inmates in French Prisons

First, in order to establish a baseline, the investigators contacted the medical units in all French prisons, which means 178 care units and 8 secures inpatient care units. The investigators census every patient with terminal illness, which was defined in this study as an evolutive pathology with a life prognosis less than a year.

A questionnaire was completed by these physicians for every situation. The census was conducted for three months across France.

For the qualitative study, the investigators selected 14 specific situations chosen into these which had been identified by the physicians.

The investigators wanted to get 3 types of patients :

• patient who had obtained a compassionate release
• patient whose demand has been refused
• patient who did not demand any release. The four interviews (patients, physisians, judges, probation workers) for each situation has explained the global situation.

Each interviewee spoke about the situation with his/her perspective and sense that they attributed to the actions of others.

This research analyzes the particularity of each of these end of life situations in prison.

Inclusion criteria

• prisonners
• serious and evolving pathology
• vital prognosis less than a year

Exclusion criteria

• less than 18 year
• person under tutelage
• patient who refuse to participate