Synopsis
A new study reveals that prolonged immigration detention in the US leads to significantly worse health outcomes for detainees. The findings emphasize the detrimental effects of extended confinement on both physical and mental health, highlighting the urgent need for reform in detention practices.Key Takeaways
- Extended detention increases health risks.
- Nearly 49.1% of long-term detainees report poor health.
- Mental illness prevalence rises to 37% in extended confinement.
- PTSD symptoms affect 59.3% of those detained over six months.
- Indefinite detention practices are problematic.
New York, Jan 25 (NationPress) A recent investigation has highlighted the serious health implications of extended immigration detention in the United States.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open, indicates that immigrants who are incarcerated in US detention centers for six months or longer experience significantly higher levels of poor health and mental health issues compared to those detained for shorter durations, according to Xinhua news agency.
This study serves as a crucial alert regarding the potential dangers of prolonged confinement. Analyzing 200 immigrants who were recently released from detention, the findings revealed that those held for six months or more were approximately 19 percent more likely to report their health as poor or fair compared to individuals with shorter detention periods.
“Our research shows that poor self-reported health, mental illness, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were prevalent among all recently detained persons,” stated lead researcher Altaf Saadi from Massachusetts General Hospital, US.
“However, detention lasting six months or longer was linked to even more severe rates,” Saadi noted.
The results are particularly alarming: among detainees held for more than six months, nearly half — 49.1 percent — reported poor or fair health, as opposed to 30.4 percent of those detained for less than six months. Mental illness was reported by 37 percent of long-term detainees vs. 20.7 percent of those held for shorter periods.
Furthermore, rates of PTSD were especially concerning, with 59.3 percent of individuals in extended detention exhibiting symptoms, compared to 34.8 percent in the shorter-term group.
“The duration of custody is one way in which immigration detention can exacerbate health issues,” said the researchers, highlighting the current practice of indefinite detention without systematic release protocols as a probable contributor to these negative health outcomes.
