[Psychiatric morbidity in prison population: prevalence survey In the home judgment and correcting of Abidjan (Côte...

To determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a prison population in Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted from June to August 2008 at the Medical Department of the Prison and Correctional Center of Abidjan (PCC). 200 inmates were interviewed following the completion of a MINI supplementing a questionnaire on sociodemographic and penitentiary data.

The prison population of this study was predominantly male (90%) with a mean age of 33 years. Nearly half of the prisoner were single and without children (52.5%) and serving their first incarceration (54%); 76.5% of the inmates had completed at least 12 months in detention. The study found that 76% of prisoners had a DSM IV Axis I psychiatric disorder. The prevalence of major depressive episodes was 50.5% with an estimated 38.5% suicide risk. 23% had antisocial personality and 11% of respondents displayed a psychotic syndrome. Illicit drugs were found in 14% of prisoners and abuse of these drugs was reported by 17% of them. 8% had a state of post-traumatic stress and 3.5% obsessive compulsive disorder.

The high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the prison settings argues in favor of a better organization of medical and psychological assistance to inmates.