Eliciting Medical History: Genetic Counseling a Prisoner
"It is never too late to give up your prejudices" — Henry David Thoreau
Thanks to Allison Ossege, 2009 summer intern, WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, for her work as a contributing author for this case.
Commentary by Andrea E. Harbison, MS, CGC, LBJ General Hospital, Houston, TX
Learning Objectives
By the end of this case, genetic counselors will be able to:
- Describe health disparities related to prisoners and the prison environment.
- Recognize the sociological, social psychological and psychopathological variables linked to criminal behavior.
- Explain the laws and policies regarding medical treatment in jails and prisons and acknowledge that regulations may differ between jurisdictions.
- Describe strategies for building patient trust and eliciting a medical history for individuals belonging to vulnerable cultural populations, such as inmates.
