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The Prevalence of Uncorrected Refractive Errors in Adolescents Incarcerated in a Youth Detention Center

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the number of residents requiring corrective lenses in a youth detention center for juveniles from 12 to 18 years old over a 2-year period. A greater number of adolescents incarcerated for criminal activity in a detention center had uncorrected refractive errors (34.87 %) as compared to a comparable population in the public school system (22 %). The prevalence of significant refractive errors among incarcerated adolescents in this study is significantly higher than has been reported previously. The current study found a refractive error rate of almost 35 %. This difference can be explained by a number of factors in their social environments and identifies an area for potential intervention to reduce antisocial behavior in this population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. John Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, 65 Mario Capecchi Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA

    Roger P. Harrie

  2. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Paul Christopher Harrie

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  1. Roger P. Harrie
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  2. Paul Christopher Harrie
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Correspondence to Roger P. Harrie.

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Harrie, R.P., Harrie, P.C. The Prevalence of Uncorrected Refractive Errors in Adolescents Incarcerated in a Youth Detention Center. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 33, 273–277 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0422-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-015-0422-4

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