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Practical Solutions for Mental Health Care in Nigerian Prisons
Researchers developed strategies to improve mental health care in Nigerian prisons with limited resources. These strategies aimed to provide assessments, identification, and care for inmates and former inmates with mental illness. Over the study period, 74 individuals, mostly males with an average age of 33.25 years, received care or psycho-legal services through these strategies.
Key Findings:
- 49% of participants were diagnosed with schizophrenia
- 66.7% had their first formal clinical diagnosis of mental illness
- 56.1% of participants reported using psychoactive substances
- Most participants (73.0%) were assessed and treated within the prison’s general medical services with support from a multidisciplinary team from a regional psychiatric hospital
- Of the 50 psycho-legal assessments conducted, 10.8% were found not criminally responsible and 16.2% were unfit to stand trial
The study included an action plan to support the implementation of collaborative care, skill enhancement, and linkage of services as viable strategies in correctional settings with inadequate mental health care.
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