Psychiatric morbidity in HIV-infected male prisoners.
OBJECTIVE
The seroincidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Taiwan has drastically increased since 2004, particularly among injection drug users and prisoners. The major purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric morbidity among HIV-infected male prisoners.


METHODS
In 2006, data were collected from all of HIV-infected male prisoners (n = 535) in seven prisons in Taiwan. This collection was performed using a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire in group settings directed by our interviewers. Psychiatric morbidity was measured using the five-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale in 535 participants, which represented an 85% response rate. After excluding incomplete data, 479 participants were included in the analysis.


RESULTS
Psychiatric morbidity was present in 46% of participants. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that correlates of the five-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale defined cases included the following: being a recidivist, having poor self-rated health status, and having experienced psychiatric symptoms in one's lifetime (e.g. significant physical pain or discomfort, depression for 2 weeks or longer, serious anxiety or tension, trouble understanding, concentrating, or remembering, and serious thoughts of suicide), with a Nagelkerke R(2) equal to 0.365.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric morbidity is prevalent among HIV-infected male prisoners. Tailored HIV/AIDS education related to mental health is therefore suggested for inclusion as part of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS training program among incarcerated populations.
Peng
Eugene Yu-Chang
EY
Department of Community Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Ren-Ai Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
Ming-Been
MB
Morisky
Donald Edward
DE
Yeh
Ching-Ying
CY
Farabee
David
D
Lan
Yu-Ching
YC
Chen
Yi-Ming Arthur
YM
Lyu
Shu-Yu
SY
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology