Prevalence of psychiatric disorders and related factors in male prisoners

Prisoners are at risk of mental disorders. Therefore attention to mental health of prisoners is important.

This study aimed determine to the prevalence of mental disorders among Kashan prisoners.

This cross sectional study was carried out in Kashan prison (Iran). 180 Subjects were selected by using stratified random sampling and evaluated with Symptoms Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire and clinical interview based on Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Disease-IV (DSM-IV) check list by two psychiatrists. Data were analyzed by SPSS-16 software and Chi square, Kolmogrov Smirnov, Mann-whiteny and Leven tests.

The mean age of prisoners was 31.9 ± 8.96. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in prisoners was 43.4 %. The most frequent disorders were major depressive disorders (27.9 %), Post traumatic Stress Disorder (17.4%) and substance use disorder (17.4 %). 28.3% of prisoners had personality disorders, that the most prevalent were antisocial personality and borderline personality. The comorbidity of psychiatric disorders was (36 %) in axis I. Suicidal thoughts there were in 44.6 % of prisoners. History of head trauma in Prisoners with psychiatric disorders was (52.2 %). There was significant difference between head trauma and psychiatric disorders (P = 0.05). Significant difference was between marital status and duration of imprisonment with psychiatric disorders P < 0.05. There was not significant difference between type of crime and educational level with psychiatric disorders.

About half of all prisoners suffered from psychiatric disorders; therefore treatment psychiatric disorder in this group is essential for prevention of crime. Prisoners are at risk of mental disorders. Therefore attention to mental health of prisoners is important.