Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment

Lamiece Hassan; Luke Birmingham; Mari A. Harty; Manuela Jarrett; Peter Jones; Carlene King; Judith Lathlean; Carrie Lowthian; Alice Mills; Jane Senior; Graham Thornicroft; Roger Webb; Jenny Shaw

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080333

Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment

Lamiece Hassan, Luke Birmingham, Mari A. Harty, Manuela Jarrett, Peter Jones, Carlene King, Judith Lathlean, Carrie Lowthian, Alice Mills, Jane Senior, Graham Thornicroft, Roger Webb, Jenny Shaw

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Mental illness is common among prisoners, but little evidence exists regarding changes in symptoms in custody over time. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric symptoms among prisoners during early custody. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 3079 prisoners were screened for mental illness within 3 days of reception. To establish baseline diagnoses and symptoms, 980 prisoners were interviewed; all remaining in custody were followed up 1 month and 2 months later. Results: Symptom prevalence was highest during the first week of custody. Prevalence showed a linear decline among men and convicted prisoners, but not women or remand prisoners. It decreased among prisoners with depression, but not among prisoners with other mental illnesses. Conclusions: Overall, imprisonment did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, although differences in group responses were observed. Continued discussion regarding non-custodial alternatives for vulnerable groups and increased support for all during early custody are recommended.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	37-42
Number of pages	5
Journal	British Journal of Psychiatry
Volume	198
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080333
Publication status	Published - Jan 2011

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10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080333

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/reprint/198/1/37

Cite this

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title = "Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment",

abstract = "Background: Mental illness is common among prisoners, but little evidence exists regarding changes in symptoms in custody over time. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric symptoms among prisoners during early custody. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 3079 prisoners were screened for mental illness within 3 days of reception. To establish baseline diagnoses and symptoms, 980 prisoners were interviewed; all remaining in custody were followed up 1 month and 2 months later. Results: Symptom prevalence was highest during the first week of custody. Prevalence showed a linear decline among men and convicted prisoners, but not women or remand prisoners. It decreased among prisoners with depression, but not among prisoners with other mental illnesses. Conclusions: Overall, imprisonment did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, although differences in group responses were observed. Continued discussion regarding non-custodial alternatives for vulnerable groups and increased support for all during early custody are recommended.",

author = "Lamiece Hassan and Luke Birmingham and Harty, {Mari A.} and Manuela Jarrett and Peter Jones and Carlene King and Judith Lathlean and Carrie Lowthian and Alice Mills and Jane Senior and Graham Thornicroft and Roger Webb and Jenny Shaw",

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doi = "10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080333",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment

AU - Hassan, Lamiece

AU - Birmingham, Luke

AU - Harty, Mari A.

AU - Jarrett, Manuela

AU - Jones, Peter

AU - King, Carlene

AU - Lathlean, Judith

AU - Lowthian, Carrie

AU - Mills, Alice

AU - Senior, Jane

AU - Thornicroft, Graham

AU - Webb, Roger

AU - Shaw, Jenny

PY - 2011/1

Y1 - 2011/1

N2 - Background: Mental illness is common among prisoners, but little evidence exists regarding changes in symptoms in custody over time. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric symptoms among prisoners during early custody. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 3079 prisoners were screened for mental illness within 3 days of reception. To establish baseline diagnoses and symptoms, 980 prisoners were interviewed; all remaining in custody were followed up 1 month and 2 months later. Results: Symptom prevalence was highest during the first week of custody. Prevalence showed a linear decline among men and convicted prisoners, but not women or remand prisoners. It decreased among prisoners with depression, but not among prisoners with other mental illnesses. Conclusions: Overall, imprisonment did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, although differences in group responses were observed. Continued discussion regarding non-custodial alternatives for vulnerable groups and increased support for all during early custody are recommended.

AB - Background: Mental illness is common among prisoners, but little evidence exists regarding changes in symptoms in custody over time. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric symptoms among prisoners during early custody. Method: In a prospective cohort study, 3079 prisoners were screened for mental illness within 3 days of reception. To establish baseline diagnoses and symptoms, 980 prisoners were interviewed; all remaining in custody were followed up 1 month and 2 months later. Results: Symptom prevalence was highest during the first week of custody. Prevalence showed a linear decline among men and convicted prisoners, but not women or remand prisoners. It decreased among prisoners with depression, but not among prisoners with other mental illnesses. Conclusions: Overall, imprisonment did not exacerbate psychiatric symptoms, although differences in group responses were observed. Continued discussion regarding non-custodial alternatives for vulnerable groups and increased support for all during early custody are recommended.

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DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080333

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EP - 42

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

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Prospective cohort study of mental health during imprisonment

Abstract

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