Table 1 Profile of included articles

Handtke V, Wangmo T.

2014

Switzerland

12 Swiss prisons

Prisoners

35

51–71 years (mean = 61 years)

30 M, 5F

Individual semi-structured interviews

Prisoners were asked about end of life, death, and dying, demographic and incarceration information, general physical health information, presence of diseases, mental health status and symptoms, medications, substance use, visits to medical services, and problems with activities of daily living. Interviews were followed by a geriatric evaluation consisting of five standardised tests. Interview guide used by researchers was developed using existing literature and expert opinion and pilot-tested with two older adults from the community and further adapted after the first four interviews with older prisoners based on their feedback.

Sanders S, Stensland M, Dohrmann J, Robinson E, Juraco K.

2014

USA

State medical classification center for 3 Midwestern male prisons

Correctional healthcare staff

3

n.a

n.a

Observation study as part of an intervention program

Staff-level data were identified through detailed observational (field) notes by researchers during the implementation process of the study

Prisoners who were cognitively intact, older, frail, or reasonably thought to die within the next 12 months.

20

25–79

20 M, 0F

Prisoner-level data were identified during facilitated ACP discussions between trained prison staff and prisoners using a detailed data collection tool with 11 primary areas of focus: prisoner views on life support/life-sustaining procedures, end-of-life wishes, health literacy, decision-making and decision-makers, most meaningful aspects of life, questions raised by prisoners, emotions expressed, concerns related to ACP, significant issues raised, nonverbal communications between the ACP facilitator and prisoner, and non-verbal cues made by the ACP facilitator.

Sanders S, Stensland M.

2018

USA

As per Sanders, Stensland, Dohrmann, Robinson, & Juraco, 2014 (above)

Prisoners as per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

20

25–79

20 M, 0F

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

Sanders S, Stensland M, Juraco K.

2018

USA

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

20

25–79

20 M, 0F

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

Stensland M, Sanders S.

2016

USA

As per Sanders et al., 2014 (above)

Prisoner composite characters

3

40–84

3 M (composites)

Case study

Three composite offender descriptions were developed using data collected during a larger study (see Sanders et al., 2014) to conduct a critical analysis and discussion of ethical issues related to ACP and end-of-life expereinces in prisons

Ekaireb R, Ahalt C, Sudore R, Metzger L, Williams B.

2018

USA

Four prisons in 2 states and 1 large city jail in a third state.

Correctional healthcare providers

24

n.a.

8 M, 16F

Individual, semistructured telephone interviews

Open- and closed-ended questions related to prisoner’s comfort discussing ACP, timing and process for ACP conversations, barriers encountered at patient-, provider-, and system-levels, whether the correctional setting influenced ACP conversations, and what interventions would help facilitate ACP.