Mental and Cardiovascular Health of Incarcerated Populations in the United States: A Systematic Review

Diet, exercise, and environment–the trifecta for exploring and understanding the cardiovascular health of any human being. However, the three factors are only the tip of the iceberg, as below lies a multitude of underlying contributors. Mental health, for one, is an important area of study not just for its cognitive effects, but the medical implications it poses. Issues falter the spinning turbine of adequate diet, exercise, and environment. The health of the mind is a growing area of study among populations, but more unconventional settings (i.e. incarcerated facilities) have only begun to broach the idea of exploration. This paper aims to create more awareness of the medical issues that incarcerated people may face, whether they are cognitive or physical. It will delve into the mental health of US prisoners as well as their cardiovascular health, connecting them altogether to explore the relationship between mind and body. Prisoners’ deteriorated cardiovascular health is not simply a product of an unhealthy lifestyle, but also a potentially harmful mind–their mental health can end up taking charge of their own hearts, further fueling the mortality related to cardiovascular issues. Prisoners are often separated in a bubble, where outsiders assume that their issues are simple and not globally applicable concerns. Understanding how the mental health of prisoners can affect their cardiovascular health is not only important to gaining a greater understanding of the prison system, but it is also a key to developing solutions toward the human population in general.