By Dr. E. Tootell San Quentin Chief Medical Officer What’s the Leading Cause of Death for Former Inmates? In 2007, the New England Journal of Medicine published an article titled “Release from Prison- a High Risk of Death for Former Inmates.” The researchers looked at 443 deaths of more than 30,000 inmates released from the Washington State Department of Corrections from 1999 to 2003 and compared them to the mortality rate of other state residents who were of the same age, race, and sex. The average age of inmates at the time of … [Read more...] about Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness
By Dr. E Tootell Paroling soon? Don’t forget to arrange for medical care on the outside. The institution will provide 30 days of prescription medications when you leave. You will need to see an outside medical provider to get a new prescription for medications. Most county clinics require ID (like a driver’s license) for you to be seen. We can also provide you a verification letter that explains that you have been incarcerated recently, which may help. You can now make an appointment with most DMV offices to expedite your driver’s … [Read more...] about Health & Wellness
San Quentin’s Annual Tuberculosis Testing
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL INMATES: ANNUAL INMATE TUBERCULOSIS TESTING STARTS APRIL 26, 2013 By Dr. E. Tootell East Block, AC and NS: Mid-April California State Law requires that every inmate be screened yearly for Tuberculosis. San Quentin will start doing the annual Tuberculosis testing in the next few weeks. If you have had negative TB tests in the past, you will be tested. If you have had documented positive TB tests in the past, you will be screened for symptoms, but not tested. You are required by law to be screened! What Is … [Read more...] about San Quentin’s Annual Tuberculosis Testing
Norovirus
Dr. Elaine Tootell Chief Medical Officer The norovirus is a highly infectious virus that causes gastrointestinal illness, commonly spread during the winter months. It spreads by touching items that an infected person has touched, such as doorknobs, flush toilets, and railings. It is also sporadically spread through the air. Symptoms of Norovirus Symptoms of norovirus involve sudden vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramping, lasting 12-48 hours. However, a person may remain contagious for up to 72 hours. What to Do If You … [Read more...] about Norovirus
Health & Fitness
Dr. Elena Tootell San Quentin Chief Medical Officer Influenza (“the flu”) has recently arrived in Marin County, and it’s occurring in congregate living settings and in other places where people live in close quarters. What is influenza? It’s a virus that causes respiratory symptoms such as a fever, headaches, chills, body aches, runny nose, and sometimes a sore throat and or coughing. It is different from a regular cold, which usually only lasts a couple of days and presents mild symptoms. Influenza causes a fever and people feel very … [Read more...] about Health & Fitness
Medical Care
By Elena Tootell Welcome to the San Quentin Medical Corner. I hope to create a monthly letter to be included in the S.Q. News that will inform patients about the current activities of the S.Q. Medical Department. This month, I would like to discuss screening tests, offered to people before they have symptoms of a particular disease. This allows us to find medical conditions or diseases early, when there are better treatments for a condition. Some of the most common screening tests we offer here are for HIV, hepatitis C, colon cancer, … [Read more...] about Medical Care