Inmate-to-inmate violence as a marker of suicide attempt risk during imprisonment.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the incidence of suicide attempts during imprisonment in a French prison and to determine factors associated with them.


METHODS
All male inmates of a prison for prisoners awaiting trial or serving a short sentence (Bordeaux, France) were eligible for this cross-sectional study. They were face-to-face interviewed by an experienced psychologist (n = 369; mean age = 36 years). Socio-demographic data, imprisonment conditions, health status, healthcare utilization, mental health, impulsiveness, inmate-to-inmate violence (victim and perpetrator status) and suicidal behaviours were documented.


RESULTS
The incidence of suicidal attempts during imprisonment was 13.4 per 100 person-years. Having made at least one suicide attempt during imprisonment was associated with: being a victim of physical or sexual violence without perpetrating it (adjusted OR = 5.4; 95%CI [2.4-12]), suffering from depressive and anxious symptoms (adjusted OR = 3.3; 95%CI [1.5-7.7]), having children (adjusted OR = 3.0; 95%CI [1.2-7.7]) and having a poor perceived health status (OR = 2.5; 95%CI [1.1-5.4]). A history of suicide attempt before imprisonment was not associated with the risk of suicide attempts while imprisoned.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that violence plays a major role in the suicidal process in prison. The inclusion of inmate-to-inmate violence in the screening checklists of inmate suicide risk should be explored.
Equipe prévention et prise en charge des traumatismes, Centre de recherche INSERM U897 «Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques», University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France; COMPTRASEC CNRS UMR 5114, University Bordeaux 4, Pessac, France. Electronic address: gaelle.encrenaz@u-bordeaux4.fr.
Gaëlle
G
Encrenaz
Equipe prévention et prise en charge des traumatismes, Centre de recherche INSERM U897 «Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques», University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: alain.miras@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr.
Alain
A
Miras
Equipe prévention et prise en charge des traumatismes, Centre de recherche INSERM U897 «Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques», University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: Benjamin.Contrand@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr.
Benjamin
B
Contrand
Equipe prévention et prise en charge des traumatismes, Centre de recherche INSERM U897 «Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques», University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France; University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Child Psychiatry Department, Charles Perrens Hospital, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: cedric.galera@u-bordeaux2.fr.
Cédric
C
Galera
University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Laboratory: EA Psychology, Health and Quality of Life, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: stephane.pujos@u-bordeaux2.fr.
Stéphane
S
Pujos
University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Laboratory: EA Psychology, Health and Quality of Life, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: gregory.michel@u-bordeaux2.fr.
Grégory
G
Michel
Equipe prévention et prise en charge des traumatismes, Centre de recherche INSERM U897 «Epidémiologie et Biostatistiques», University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: Emmanuel.lagarde@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr.
Emmanuel
E
Lagarde
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005220:Fathers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005602:France; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
Epidemiology; Interpersonal violence; Prison; Suicidal behaviours