Mental Disorders in French Prisons
Author Information
Author(s): Bruno Falissard, Jean-Yves Loze, Isabelle Gasquet, Anne Duburc, Christiane de Beaurepaire, Francis Fagnani, Frédéric Rouillon
Primary Institution: Inserm U669, Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of mental disorders among incarcerated men in French prisons?
Conclusion
The study found high prevalence rates of mental disorders among prisoners, indicating that psychiatric diagnosis can be challenging in prison settings.
Supporting Evidence
- The study found a 17.9% prevalence of major depressive disorder among prisoners.
- 3.8% of prisoners were diagnosed with schizophrenia.
- The methodology used improved reliability in diagnosing mental disorders.
Takeaway
This study looked at men in French prisons and found that many of them have mental health issues, which can be hard to diagnose.
Methodology
800 incarcerated men were randomly sampled and interviewed by two clinicians, one of whom was a senior psychiatrist, using structured and open clinical interviews.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the low participation rate of selected prisoners.
Limitations
The study had a low response rate and did not assess personality disorders.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 37 years; 49% had been imprisoned before; 16% had a history of psychiatric hospitalization.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
[7.8%,12.2%]
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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