The prevalence of mental disorders in Taiwanese prisons: a nationwide population-based study

In Taiwan, few studies explored the morbidity of mental disorders among prisoners. The purpose of this study is conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders in Taiwanese prisoners.

Based on Nationwide population-based databank, 82,650 prisons were studied for mental disorders. Mental disorders were assessed with the International Classification of Diseases 9th revision Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM).

The prevalence of mental disorders among prisoners was estimated 11.31%. Female prisons exhibited a higher prevalence than males (17.82% vs. 10.56%, p < 0.01). Among all cases that were diagnosed with the contents of mental disorder, anxiety, dissociative and somatoform disorders was the most frequent disease (total: 49.48%, female: 59.42%, male: 47.55%) followed by special symptoms or syndromes (total: 38.24%, female: 33.20%, male: 39.22%), drug dependence (total: 15.41%, female: 9.22%, male: 16.61%), episodic mood disorders (total: 13.56%, female: 26.15%, male: 11.12%), nondependent abuse of drugs (total: 11.23%, female: 2.77%, male: 12.87%) and depressive disorder (total: 11.23%, female: 11.66%, male: 11.14%).

A substantial proportion of prisoners reported having mental disorders. The results suggests the necessity of comprehensive assessment and more treatment programs that offer alternatives to incarceration of mental health for the criminal justice system in Taiwan.