Aims: To describe the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among women inmates in a prison of north
India, and possible association of sociodemographic factors with psychiatric morbidity among women
inmates.
Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional point prevalence study was conducted at a prison in Patiala
during August 2007 to July 2008. All 65 women prison inmates were recruited in study. The inmates
were interviewed by using a pre-designed pre-tested questionnaire. General Health Questionnaire-12
was used to assess the psychological status of inmates. Chi-square test was used as test of
significance. Logistic regression was used to find risk factors of psychiatric morbidity.
Results: The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was found among 40 (61.5%) women inmates. The
significance difference was found between psychiatric morbidity and variables i.e. age group (p=0.03)
and receiving any visitor (p=0.04). On regression analyses, being older (OR=13.6, p=0.01) and
occurrence of untoward happening during childhood (OR=7.5, p=0.02) were found to increase the risk
of psychiatric morbidity in women prison inmate whereas lower socio-economic status (OR=0.1,
p=0.04) was a protecting factor.
Conclusion: The burden of psychiatric morbidity among women prison inmates was found to be
substantial. There is definite need to improve provision of services for psychiatric disorders in the
prison as well as community-based rehabilitation services, considering the potential complexity of
their mental health needs.