Review describes mental health strain among healthcare staff in US correctional settings
Workers reported anxiety, depression, burnout and other difficulties, alongside workplace pressures and sources of support; substantial study differences limit comparisons.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found reports of considerable psychological strain among healthcare professionals in US forensic and correctional settings. Heavier workloads and workplace conflict were linked with mental health difficulties, while support and access to resources were identified as protective factors. These findings describe associations and experiences; they do not establish that particular workplace reforms improve mental health.
The authors call the findings preliminary and report substantial differences between studies. This abstract-based account cannot provide a single reliable prevalence estimate for all US correctional healthcare workers or show which reforms work.
What workers described
The included research covered both numerical findings and qualitative accounts. Workers described isolation, changes in personality and conflicting feelings, alongside reported depression, anxiety, sleep problems, burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder.
What support might mean
Resilience, administrator and peer support, needed resources, and a sense of purpose appeared among protective factors. These observations identify topics for further study, but the abstract does not demonstrate that increasing support changes outcomes.
The original publication
Mental health issues and associated factors amongst healthcare workers in US forensic-correctional settings: a systematic review of literature since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yu E, Wang M, Berdugo J et al.
BMC Health Serv Res · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41761197
- Record checked
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