title: Connectivity, prison environment and mental health among first-time male inmates in Mexico City.
abstract: Research from high-income countries suggests that prison populations are affected disproportionately by mental illness. However, little research has examined mental health among prisoners in low- and middle-income countries or associations between mental health and contextual factors surrounding the prison experience among susceptible first-time inmates in these settings. The current study examines associations between connectivity, prison environment and mental health (major depression and substance use) among novice male inmates (n = 593) in three Mexico City prisons. Severe depression (46.2%), any substance use (53.8%) and heavy substance use (45.7%) were prevalent. Among key co-variates, recent visitors were protective for severe depression, conjugal visits for any substance use and prison employment for heavy substance use. Physical attacks were associated with increased prevalence of depression, sentence time served with both any and heavy substance use and overcrowding with any substance use. These findings suggest the need for routine health assessments to improve identification and treatment programmes to minimise mental health burden. Addressing demographic risk factors as well as contextual determinants, by decreasing physical violence and overcrowding and supporting outside connections for prisoners, may help improve inmate mental health.
authors.affiliation: a Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , GA , USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Albertie
authors.affiliation: b Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , GA , USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bourey
authors.affiliation: a Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health , Emory University , Atlanta , GA , USA.|c Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, School of Nursing and the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: d Center for Health Systems Research , National Institute of Public Health (INSP) , Cuernavaca , Mexico.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bautista-Arredondo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005195:Family Relations; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Prison; connectivity; depression; first-time inmates; substance use