Mental disorder and prisons

Assessing Stress Levels, Predictors and Management Strategies of Inmates at Ankaful Prison Complex in the Central Region, Ghana

Background: Stress among prison inmates is a neglected psychological health issue, but this phenomenon seems worse in Ghana’s prisons. This study examined the stress levels, predictors and management strategies utilized among inmates at Ankaful Prison Complex. Method: This survey sampled 1160 inmates using the census approach at the Ankaful Prison Complex with a self-developed questionnaire for the data collection. Frequency counts, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis were applied to the data. Results: The findings indicate that more than half of the inmates were moderately or highly stressed. Specifically, inmates at the Maximum Security Prison were the most stressed, followed by Annex Prison, Communicable Disease Prison, and the least, Main Camp Prison inmates. Inmate engagement in exercises, sporting activities, visit and chat with colleagues, and family connectedness outside the prison were stress-management strategies. Inmates’ self-reported stress levels were influenced by the prison of custody and state of depression. Conclusion: The moderate to high stress levels identified among inmates of Ankaful Prison Complex are influenced by person–environment factors. Management of the Ankaful Prison Complex is encouraged to initiate health screening services for inmates on common mental health challenges such as stress and to promote functional stress reduction interventions to improve prisoners’ mental health and overall well-being.

Psychophysical quality of life and its determinants in prisoners: the role of selected psychosocial factors

PURPOSE

Penal institutions affect their inmates' mental as well as physical health. Prisoners have higher rates of physical health conditions than the public. While it is known that psychosocial factors determine patients' quality of life, little research has focused on factors related to prisoners' psychophysical quality of life (PQoL). The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of prisoners' PQoL.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The sample consisted of 390 prisoners recruited from correctional facilities administered by the Warsaw District Inspectorate of Prisons. This study hypothesized that social support, coherence and self-efficacy would be positive determinants of PQoL and that depression, anxiety and anger would be its negative determinants. The collected data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling.

FINDINGS

The positive determinants of PQoL in prisoners are coherence, self-efficacy and social support. The negative determinant of PQoL is trait depression.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This study has revealed a list of factors significant for improving prisoners' PQoL. Factors have also indicated which of the predictors measured are the most significant. The identified set of significant factors should be taken into account in social rehabilitation programs for prisoners as contributing to the preservation of life and health.

The Perceived Benefits of an Arts Project for Health and Wellbeing of Older Offenders

The increasing ageing prison population is becoming a pressing issue throughout the criminal justice system. Alongside the rising population, are a host of health and wellbeing issues that contribute to older offenders needs whilst in prison. It has been recommended that meaningful activities can have positive effects on this population and therefore this paper uniquely reviews older offenders accounts of taking part in an arts based project, Good Vibrations, whilst imprisoned. The Good Vibrations project engages individuals in Gamelan music making with an end of project performance. This study used independent in-depth interviews to capture the voices of older offenders who took part in an art based prison project. The interview data was analysed using thematic analysis, which highlighted themes that were consistent with other populations who have taken part in a Good Vibrations project, along with specific age relating issues of mobility, motivation, identity and wellbeing.

O impacto da prisão na saúde mental dos presos do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Resumo O artigo tem como objetivo analisar as condições de saúde mental dos presos e custodiados do estado do Rio de Janeiro e sua relação com o aprisionamento, através da análise de escala de depressão e do Inventário de Sintomas de Estresse. Amostra: 1573 indivíduos, obtidos por amostragem estratificada proporcional ao tamanho. População estudada: mais da metade possui até 29 anos; 70,6% têm cor da pele preta/parda; 80% têm religião, 77,4% com bom vínculo familiar; 42,9% têm menos de um ano de prisão; 22,9% trabalham no presídio. Estresse: 35,8% dos homens e 57,9% das mulheres. Fatores associados ao estresse entre homens: tempo de prisão e vínculo familiar. Presos com 1 a 9 anos de prisão possuem uma chance igual a 0,55 a daqueles com menos de 1 ano de reclusão; aqueles com vínculo regular e ruim possuem chance maior em relação àqueles com bom vínculo. Entre as mulheres, o vínculo regular/ruim representa maior chance de desenvolvimento dos problemas de saúde mental; trabalho representou proteção contra o estresse. Depressão: 7,5% das mulheres e 6,3 % dos homens apresentam sintomas depressivos graves. Entre os homens, praticar alguma religião, ter bom vínculo familiar e trabalhar na prisão são fatores protetores. Entre mulheres, apenas vínculo familiar associou-se com sintomas depressivos.

Psychiatric morbidity in prisoners

BACKGROUND

Prisoners are having high percentage of psychiatric disorders. Majority of studies done so far on prisoners are from Western countries and very limited studies from India.

AIM

Study socio-demographic profile of prisoners of a central jail and to find out current prevalence of psychiatric disorders in them.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

118 prisoners were selected by random sampling and interviewed to obtain socio-demographic data and assessed on Indian Psychiatric Interview Schedule (IPIS) with additional required questions to diagnose psychiatric disorders in prisoners.

RESULTS

Mean age of prisoners was 33.7 years with 97.5% males, 57.6% from rural areas and 65.3% were married. Average education in studied years was 6.6 years and 50.8% were unskilled workers. 47.4% were murderers while 20.3% of drugs related crimes. 47.5% were convicted and history of criminal behavior in family was in 32.2% prisoners. Current prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 33%. Psychotic, depressive, and anxiety disorders were seen in 6.7%, 16.1%, and 8.5% prisoners respectively. 58.8% had history of drug abuse/dependence prior to imprisonment.

CONCLUSION

One prison of Hadoti region of Rajasthan is full of people with mental-health problems who collectively generate significant levels of unmet psychiatric treatment need. Prisons are detrimental to mental-health. Beginning of reforms is the immediate need.

Depression in elderly life sentence prisoners

BACKGROUND

The life sentence population is growing older and increasing in number. Despite the potential negative physical and social environment in prisons little is known about the prevalence or aetiology of depression in elderly 'lifers'.

AIMS

To determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of depression in elderly life sentence prisoners.

METHOD

One hundred and twenty-one elderly life/indeterminate sentence prisoners from two category B prisons in the United Kingdom were interviewed using the Geriatric Depression Scale and the relationship with prison and non prison specific variables analysed.

RESULTS

Over half of the prisoners scored above the threshold for mild depression. The length of sentence served and other prison related variables were not associated with the depression score. However, the imported chronic physical ill health was strongly related to depression score.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression in long term prisoners is common and is related to the burden of imported chronic ill health as opposed to specific effects of imprisonment.

Mental health (GHQ12; CES-D) and attitudes towards the value of work among inmates of a semi-open prison and the long-term unemployed in Luxembourg

AIM

To analyse the relationships between mental health and employment commitment among prisoners and the long-term unemployed (LTU) trying to return to work.

METHOD

Fifty-two of 62 male inmates of a semi-open prison (Givenich Penitentiary Centre, the only such unit in Luxembourg), and 69 LTU registered at the Luxembourg Employment Administration completed a questionnaire exploring: 1) mental health (measured by means of scales GHQ12 and CES-D); 2) employment commitment; 3) availability of a support network, self-esteem, empowerment; and 4) socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Compared with LTU, inmates were younger, more had work experience (54.9% vs 26.1%), and more were educated to only a low level (71.1% vs 58.0%). The link between employment commitment and mental health in the LTU was the opposite of that seen among the prisoners: the more significant the perceived importance of employment, the worse the mental health (GHQ12 p = 0.003; CES-D p < 0.001) of the LTU; in contrast, among prisoners, the GHQ12 showed that the greater the perceived value of work, the lower the psychic distress (p = 0.012). Greater empowerment was associated with less depression in both populations. The education levels of people who did not reach the end of secondary school, whether inmates or LTU, were negatively linked with their mental equilibrium.

CONCLUSION

The two groups clearly need professional support. Future research should further investigate the link between different forms of professional help and mental health. Randomized controlled trials could be carried out in both groups, with interventions to improve work commitment for prisoners and to help with getting a job for LTU. For those LTU who value employment but cannot find it, the best help may be psychological support.