Saying your Goodbyes in Prison: Palliative care provision for people in Belgian prisons

This research investigates palliative care provision for incarcerated persons in Belgium, aiming to understand their experiences, challenges and needs along with those of their families, healthcare professionals and prison officers, within a thoughtlessness institution where balancing care and custody proves challenging. The research comprises three primary objectives: (1) comprehending palliative care provision for incarcerated persons, gaining insight into the number of individuals in detention who require palliative care, their profile and the utilization of compassionate release (2) exploring diverse experiences and challenges in delivering palliative care in prisons and (3) establishing actions for practical changes based on stakeholders' input. Employing Participatory Action Research (PAR), the study utilizes a wide array of methods, including content analyses,
interviews, participatory observations, and focus groups. It will be conducted in two Belgian prisons characterized by a high number of non-suicidal deaths. Through collaborative analysis and action planning, the study aims to provide policy recommendations and enhance palliative care in prison.
This interdisciplinary research merges healthcare and criminology to bridge a critical gap in understanding and improving palliative care provision for imprisoned patients, ultimately advocating for better palliative care for this vulnerable population.