title: Mental Illness Among Women Referred for Psychiatric Services in a New Zealand Women's Prison.
abstract: This naturalistic exploratory study describes the characteristics of women prisoners referred to the forensic psychiatry service of the largest women's prison in New Zealand. Forensic psychiatrists diagnosed more than one-third of the referred female inmates with psychotic disorders, and they diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder in one-fifth. The majority of the women reported substance use prior to incarceration, as well as a history of personal victimization by family violence. Of the women prisoners referred to community mental health services at release, two-thirds attended the arranged outpatient mental health follow-up appointment. This study highlights the need for secondary prevention and rehabilitation for female inmates, and it provides suggestions for intervention. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Susan Hatters
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D011330:Prisons; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult