title: Mental disorders in Italian prisoners: results of the REDiMe study.
abstract: The goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence of current and lifetime mental disorders in a consecutive sample (n=300) of detainees and prison inmates held in an Italian prison and compare it with the prevalence observed in a sample randomized from the community (n=300) within the same age interval (18-55 years) and sex proportion of prisoners, and with a similar socio-economic status. Psychiatric disorders were identified with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Current psychiatric disorders were present in 58.7% of prisoners and 8.7% of the comparison group. Lifetime psychiatric disorders were present in 88.7% of prisoners and 15.7% of the comparison group. Current anxiety disorders and current stress-related disorders were related to prisoners serving their first-ever prison sentence. A variable fraction of prisoners with an ongoing psychopathology is not diagnosed or does not receive proper treatment. The provision of effective treatment to prisoners with psychiatric disorders might have potentially substantial public health benefits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: annalisa.maccio@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macciò
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: f.romanameloni@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Francesca Romana
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Service of Biostatistics, University of Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sisti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Service of Biostatistics, University of Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco Bruno Luigi
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; Associazione Centro Studi Ricerche ed Intervento "Neuropsicopedagogia" Onlus, via Atene 9, 09047 Selargius (Cagliari), Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella Rita
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Petretto
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; Associazione Centro Studi Ricerche ed Intervento "Neuropsicopedagogia" Onlus, via Atene 9, 09047 Selargius (Cagliari), Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari, Italy; Center for Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital, University of Cagliari, via Ospedale 117, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; Centro Medico Genneruxi, via Costantinopoli 42, 09129 Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: apreti@tin.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Addiction (consumption/abuse/dependence); Affective disorders; Antisocial personality disorder; Anxiety disorders; Epidemiology; Psychometry and assessments in psychiatry