Summary
This bulletin presents results from the 2010 National Prisoner Health Census, and focuses on the associations between mental health and a range of characteristics and behaviours reported by prison entrants. Generally, prison entrants with mental health issues have relatively poor socioeconomic and health characteristics and are more likely to engage in risky health behaviours. They also are more likely to use prison health services and use them more frequently.
Mental health issues are common among prison entrants
In 2010, 31% of prison entrants reported that they had been told by a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or nurse that they had a mental health disorder (including drug and alcohol abuse) in their lifetime. This is about 2.5 times higher than the general population (ABS 2010). Sixteen per cent of prison entrants were currently on medication for a mental health disorder and 14% reported experiencing very high levels of distress.
Prison entrants with a mental health disorder have relatively poor socioeconomic and health characteristics
Compared with entrants without a history of a mental health disorder and the general population, prison entrants with a history of a mental health disorder have poorer socioeconomic and health characteristics. Two out of five prison entrants in Australia with a mental health disorder did not complete Year 10 at school and 2 out of 3 were either unemployed or unable to work due to disability, age or condition. Further, this group had extensive criminal histories, with about 1 in 3 having been incarcerated 5 or more times in an adult prison. Also, half of this group had received a head injury that resulted in a loss of consciousness or blacking out.
Prison entrants with a mental health disorder are more likely to report risky health behaviours
Many prison entrants in Australia report engaging in risky health behaviours such as illicit drug use, drinking alcohol at extreme levels and smoking tobacco. Some of these behaviours are even more extensive in prison entrants currently taking medication for a mental health disorder than those not taking medication. Three in 4 prison entrants currently taking medication for a mental health disorder have used illicit drugs in the last 12 months, more than half consumed alcohol at risky levels and nearly 90% smoked.
A high proportion of prison entrants with mental health issues accessed mental health services at the prison clinic
More than half of prison entrants who experienced very high psychological distress in the past 4 weeks were referred to a prison mental health clinic. Further, about a third of prison entrants taking medication for a mental health disorder visited the clinic for a mental health issue and nearly half (48%) of this group visited the clinic 3 or more times during the 2-week National Prisoner Health Census.