R.K. CHADDA, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences, G.T. Road, Dilshad Garden, P.O. BOX - 9520, Delhi - 110 095.
Indian J Psychiatry. 1998 Jul;40(3):260-5.
Psychiatric morbidity is higher in prison inmates as compared to that in general population but treatment facilities are often inadequate. The present work reports the profile of psychiatric patients seen in a jail hospital over a period of three months. The jail had about 9000 inmates. Psychiatric services consisted of weekly visit by a psychiatrist. Seventy two male inmates were seen during the period of study. Most of them (80%) were undertrials. Diagnosis included schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and malingering. Stress of imprisonment contributed to the illness only in a small percentage of patients. Among the admitted patients, jail environment interfered with improvement. Frequent relapses were noted among the improved schizophrenic patients when transferred back to the jail. The study emphasises the need for improving the conditions in jail and developing prison psychiatric units to be managed by psychiatrists.
与普通人群相比，监狱囚犯的精神疾病发病率更高，但治疗设施往往不足。本研究报告了在三个月的时间内在监狱医院就诊的精神病患者的情况。该监狱约有 9000 名囚犯。精神病服务包括每周由精神病医生进行一次访问。在研究期间共观察了 72 名男性囚犯。他们大多数（80％）是未决犯。诊断包括精神分裂症，抑郁症，双相情感障碍，焦虑症和诈病。只有一小部分患者（仅占 10％）因监禁压力而导致患病。在所收治的患者中，监狱环境会影响病情的改善。当改善的精神分裂症患者被转回监狱时，经常会出现复发。这项研究强调了改善监狱条件和建立由精神科医生管理的监狱精神病科的必要性。
