Using the CES-D-7 as a Screening Instrument to Detect Major Depression among the Inmate Population

Racial Differences in Self-Report of Mental Illness and Mental Illness Treatment in the Community: An Analysis of Jail Intake Data

Jails and prisons in the United States house people with elevated rates of mental health and substance use disorders. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the frequency of racial/ethnic differences in the self-report of mental illness and psychiatric medication use at jail entry. Our sample included individuals who had been incarcerated between 2016 and 2020 at the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction, located in Billerica, MA. We used data from the "Offender Management System," the administrative database used by the jail containing data on people who are incarcerated, and COREMR, the electronic medical record (EMR) used in the Middlesex Jail & House of Correction. We evaluated two primary outcomes (1) self-reported mental illness history and (2) self-reported use of psychiatric medication, with the primary indicator of interest as race/ethnicity. At intake, over half (57%) of the sample self-reported history of mental illness and 20% reported the use of psychiatric medications. Among people who self-reported a history of mental illness, Hispanic (AOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60-0.90), Black (AOR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.43-0.64), Asian/Pacific Islander (Non-Hispanic) people (AOR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13-0.74), and people from other racial/ethnic groups (AOR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.11-0.93) all had decreased odds of reporting psychiatric medications. Mental illness was reported in about one-half of people who entered jail, but only 20% reported receiving medications in the community prior to incarceration. Our findings build on the existing literature on jail-based mental illness and show racial disparities in self-report of psychiatric medications in people who self-reported mental illness. The timing, frequency, and equity of mental health services in both the community and the jail setting deserves further research, investment, and improvement.

Peer Victimization, Peer Aggression and Depressive Symptoms over Time: A Longitudinal Study with Latent Growth Curves

Most empirical research on the relationship between peer victimization, aggression, and mental health has been conducted with correlational designs. Much of this research has also focused primarily on linking peer victimization with either the potential aggressive behaviors of victims or a deterioration in their mental health. This study analyzes the relationship between peer victimization, peer aggression, and depressive symptoms in adolescents over time. The participants are 194 adolescents (49.2% boys, 50.8% girls) aged between 10 and 13 years (M = 10.88, SD = 0.84). The results of the growth modeling analysis indicate that the trajectories are interconnected: as victimization decreases, adolescent aggression and depressive symptoms also decrease. In addition, it is observed that victimization decreased in the same way in boys and girls, while aggression and depressive symptoms showed a smaller reduction in girls. Finally, the results and their potential practical implications are discussed.