Mental health of people detained within the justice system in Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mental health of people detained within the justice system in Africa

T2 - Systematic review and meta-analysis

AU - Lovett, Aish

AU - Kwon, Hye Rim

AU - Kidia, Khameer

AU - Machando, Debra

AU - Crooks, Megan

AU - Fricchione, Gregory

AU - Thornicroft, Graham

AU - Jack, Helen E.

PY - 2019/5/6

Y1 - 2019/5/6

N2 - Worldwide, people with mental disorders are detained within the justice system at higher rates than the general population and often suffer human rights abuses. This review sought to understand the state of knowledge on the mental health of people detained in the justice system in Africa, including epidemiology, conditions of detention, and interventions. We included all primary research studies examining mental disorders or mental health policy related to detention within the justice system in Africa. 80 met inclusion criteria. 67% were prevalence studies and meta-analysis of these studies revealed pooled prevalence as follows: substance use 38% (95% CI 26-50%), mood disorders 22% (95% CI 16-28%), and psychotic disorders 33% (95% CI 28-37%). There were only three studies of interventions. Studies examined prisons (46%), forensic hospital settings (37%), youth institutions (13%), or the health system (4%). In 36% of studies, the majority of participants had not been convicted of a crime. Given the high heterogeneity in subpopulations identified in this review, future research should examine context and population-specific interventions for people with mental disorders.

AB - Worldwide, people with mental disorders are detained within the justice system at higher rates than the general population and often suffer human rights abuses. This review sought to understand the state of knowledge on the mental health of people detained in the justice system in Africa, including epidemiology, conditions of detention, and interventions. We included all primary research studies examining mental disorders or mental health policy related to detention within the justice system in Africa. 80 met inclusion criteria. 67% were prevalence studies and meta-analysis of these studies revealed pooled prevalence as follows: substance use 38% (95% CI 26-50%), mood disorders 22% (95% CI 16-28%), and psychotic disorders 33% (95% CI 28-37%). There were only three studies of interventions. Studies examined prisons (46%), forensic hospital settings (37%), youth institutions (13%), or the health system (4%). In 36% of studies, the majority of participants had not been convicted of a crime. Given the high heterogeneity in subpopulations identified in this review, future research should examine context and population-specific interventions for people with mental disorders.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068374672&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1186/s13033-019-0273-z

DO - 10.1186/s13033-019-0273-z

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85068374672

SN - 1752-4458

VL - 13

JO - International Journal of Mental Health Systems

JF - International Journal of Mental Health Systems

IS - 1

M1 - 31

ER -