Osasona Samuel O, Koleoso Olaide N
Department of Mental Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Department of Mental Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.
Int J Psychiatry Med. 2015;50(2):203-18. doi: 10.1177/0091217415605038.
Prisoners tend to be marginalized and deprived of the rights and privileges that other citizens in the community enjoy. Their separation from families, adverse effects on health of prison environment, and the uncertainty about the future place a great psychological burden on them which can lead to the development of mental illness.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity (depression and anxiety) and the associated factors among a sample of the prison inmates.
The study was descriptive and cross-sectional in design; it was conducted in a medium security prison in Benin City, Nigeria. Participants were interviewed with the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Two hundred and fifty-two prisoners who were selected by systematic sampling techniques participated in the study and the data were analyzed using the 16th version of the SPSS with the statistical level of significance set at p < 0.05. Data were presented in tables; frequencies and percentages were calculated. Chi-square and logistic regression statistical tests were performed to determine variables that have relationship with psychiatric morbidity.
The mean age of the respondents was 33.6 years (SD ± 9.29), and the majority of the respondents (43.7%) were in the age range 21-30 years. The prevalence of general psychiatric morbidity (SRQ-20 caseness) was 80.6%, while 72.6% and 77.8% were found to be positive for depression and anxiety symptoms respectively on the HADS. Overall, 84.5% of the respondents had at least one type of psychiatric morbidity. Age, marital status, self-reported physical and mental health, previous mental illness, imprisonment status, prison accommodation, prison meal, and health care services were found to be significantly associated with depression, anxiety or general psychiatric morbidity. Self-reported poor current mental health was the only variable that predicted all the three types of psychiatric morbidity.
Prisoners in this study, and as in previous reports, had high prevalence rates of psychiatric morbidity. Thus, prisoners have a need for regular psychiatric screening and treatment. The consequences of untreated psychiatric morbidity and the need for improved health care services and infrastructure in the prison were discussed.
囚犯往往被边缘化，被剥夺了社区中其他公民所享有的权利和特权。他们与家人分离，监狱环境对健康产生不利影响，以及对未来的不确定性给他们带来了巨大的心理负担，这可能导致精神疾病的发生。
本研究的目的是确定监狱 inmates 样本中精神疾病（抑郁和焦虑）的患病率及其相关因素。
本研究为描述性横断面设计；在尼日利亚贝宁城的一所中等安全级别的监狱进行。参与者接受了自填式问卷 -20、医院焦虑和抑郁量表以及一份社会人口统计学问卷的访谈。通过系统抽样技术选取的252名囚犯参与了研究，并使用SPSS第16版对数据进行分析，统计学显著性水平设定为p < 0.05。数据以表格形式呈现；计算频率和百分比。进行卡方检验和逻辑回归统计检验以确定与精神疾病相关的变量。
受访者的平均年龄为33.6岁（标准差±9.29），大多数受访者（43.7%）年龄在21 - 30岁之间。一般精神疾病（SRQ - 20病例）的患病率为80.6%，而在HADS上分别有72.6%和77.8%的人抑郁和焦虑症状呈阳性。总体而言，84.5%的受访者至少有一种精神疾病。年龄、婚姻状况、自我报告的身心健康、既往精神疾病、监禁状态、监狱住宿、监狱饮食和医疗服务被发现与抑郁、焦虑或一般精神疾病显著相关。自我报告的当前心理健康状况不佳是预测所有三种精神疾病类型的唯一变量。
本研究中的囚犯以及先前报告中的囚犯精神疾病患病率都很高。因此，囚犯需要定期进行精神疾病筛查和治疗。讨论了未治疗的精神疾病的后果以及改善监狱医疗服务和基础设施的必要性。
