Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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How does prison visiting affect female offenders' mental health? Implications for education and development
- Authors:
- DE MOTTE Claire, BAILEY Di, WARD James
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice, 7(4), 2012, pp.170-179.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Women in custody are said to be five times more likely to have a mental health problem than the general population. Visits by relatives or volunteers are one way of preserving familial ties and increasing social support. This paper sets out to determine the state of visiting for women in the English prison system and to explore the relationship between women's mental health and visits in prison. The authors gathered data from a review of the academic and grey literature as well as relevant internet forums and blogs. All literature published from 1983 onwards was included to coincide with the introduction of Pat Carlen's campaigning group Women in Prison (WIP). The review focused on literature from England and Wales to reflect the National Criminal Justice System. Key themes revealed include; visit rejection, the importance of visits for maintaining identity and the contradicting emotions that women in prison experience when visited. The authors note that although social relationships and family ties are protective factors for prisoners' mental wellbeing, the number and frequency of visits to offenders in custody has declined. The role of prison visiting schemes to improve the mental wellbeing of women in custody is explored, including the implications for the education and training of staff and visitors involved in the process.
The need for cognitive profiles based on neuropsychological assessments to drive individual education plans (IEPs) in forensic settings
- Authors:
- LOWINGS Graham, WICKS Beth
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice, 7(4), 2012, pp.180-188.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Many people in secure forensic settings are expected to take part in psycho-educational programmes as part of their treatment and rehabilitation. However many are hampered in this because of cognitive difficulties. These difficulties may result from acquired brain injury, deficits associated with substance misuse, childhood trauma, mental health problems and occasionally prescribed medication, or intellectual disability. This paper outlines the scale of the problem and offers potential solutions. The use of individual education plans based on neuropsychological profiles is proposed together with guidance on the preparation and delivery of educational materials that could improve the efficacy of psycho-educational programmes. The authors believe that understanding neuropsychological difficulties would mean that best use is made of the psycho-educational materials presented, thus speeding up and improving the efficacy of the rehabilitation process and potentially reducing the risk that the person poses to themselves and others. Currently there are resources, which offer guidance to teachers of children with neuropsychological difficulties but not for the adolescent and adult forensic population. This paper aims to address this gap.
The impact of the custodial setting on the mental health of older prisoners: a biopsychosocial perspective
- Author:
- CAIE Jude
- Journal article citation:
- Prison Service Journal, 202, 2012, pp.31-37.
- Publisher:
- Her Majesty's Prison Service of England and Wales
The aim of this paper is to highlight biopsychosocial factors which impact on the mental health of older male prisoners (those aged 50 years and over). It is based on a literature review. It discusses biological factors (physical health and wellbeing in custody and beyond), psychological factors (psychiatric morbidity, suicidality and risk), and social factors (isolation, social exclusion and reduced social capital). The author finds that biological, psychological and social factors are interconnected in the onset or worsening of primary mental health problems among older male prisoners. The article discusses practice, policy and research implications, noting that the elderly are the fastest growing group in the prison population. It suggest that there is a need to examine the effectiveness of biopsychosocial interventions in the care and treatment of mental health problems in the older prison population.
Review of service delivery and organisational research focused on prisoners with mental disorders
- Authors:
- BROOKER Charlie, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology (The), 20(Supplement 1), April 2009, pp.102-123.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper reports a structured review of the service development and organisational (SDO) research literature focused on prisoners with mental disorders. A large number of databases were searched, using a combined free-text and thesaurus approach. Papers were included if they had been published since 1983, were written in English, and contained research findings. Commentaries or descriptions of local service innovation were excluded. In all, 103 papers were identified that met all criteria; these were divided into 13 categories (e.g. screening, 18 papers; professional roles, 13 papers). The paper concludes that there is a clear need to consider commissioning SDO research for offenders in England and Wales in a coherent programme.
Health needs of prisoners in England and Wales: the implications for prison healthcare of gender, age and ethnicity
- Authors:
- HARRIS Francesca, HEK Gill, CONDON Louise
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 15(1), January 2007, pp.56-66.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper aims to provide evidence of the healthcare needs of prisoners in relation to gender, age and ethnicity, drawing from a larger systematic overview of the policy and research literature concerning primary care nursing in prisons in England and Wales. The literature overview shaped the initial stages of a research project funded by the Department of Health to examine the views and perspectives of prisoners and nurses working in prisons, and to identify good primary care nursing in the prison environment. At total of 17 databases were searched using search terms related to primary healthcare in prisons (health, nurs*, primary care, healthcare, family medicine, prison*, offender*, inmate*) with terms truncated where possible in the different databases. Following this, a sifting phase was employed using inclusion/exclusion criteria to narrow and focus the literature perceived as relevant to the research questions. All papers were critically appraised for quality using standardised tools. Findings from the literature overview show that prisoners are more likely to have suffered some form of social exclusion compared to the rest of society, and there are significantly greater degrees of mental health problems, substance abuse and worse physical health in prisoners than in the general population. Women, young offenders, older prisoners and those from minority ethnic groups have distinct health needs compared to the prison population taken as a whole, with implications for the delivery of prison healthcare, and how these needs are met effectively and appropriately.
Mental health and wellbeing of young people in custody: evidence review
- Authors:
- ARMSTRONG Sarah, McGHEE John
- Publisher:
- Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research
- Publication year:
- 2019
- Pagination:
- 57
- Place of publication:
- Glasgow
A review of evidence on mental health and wellbeing of young people in custody, focusing on suicide risk and prevention in custody. It organises evidence into different analytical frames and factors, separating the different perspectives through which mental health issues are analysed. These frames and factors are: comparative context of prison suicide; Individual and clinical issues; Operational, situational and management; Social isolation and relationships; Institutional and environment; Rights-based and person-centred. The conclusion distils key findings from the evidence on: distress, wellbeing, suicide prevention risk, and challenges. It identifies some areas of best/better practice. Key messages from the evidence include: do not isolate young people; do not deny access to family, belongings and support; maximise time out of cell and availability of stimulating activities and meaningful social relationships; empower and support staff in understanding mental health issues, and address and minimise increasing demands placed on them. (Edited publisher abstract)
What can be done to improve outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis?
- Authors:
- MOYES Hattie Catherine Ann, HEATH Joshua James, DEAN Lucy Victoria
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Dual Diagnosis, 9(1), 2016, pp.14-25.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on offenders with a dual diagnosis and discuss how prison-based services can improve to better meet the needs of prisoners with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health disorders. Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive literature search of PsycINFO, JSTOR, PubMed and Google Scholar, reviewing international studies on dual diagnosis amongst offender and community samples spanning the last three decades, supplemented by international policy, guidance papers and reports was conducted to explore how services can be improved. Findings: It was found that research into dual diagnosis amongst prisoners internationally was scarce. However, from the evidence available, several consistent factors emerged that led to the following recommendations: integrated treatment needs to be coordinated and holistic, staged and gender-responsive; increased availability of "low level", flexible interventions; transitional support and continuity of care upon release with the utilisation of peer mentors; comprehensive assessments in conducive settings; mandatory dual diagnosis training for staff; and increased funding for female/gender-responsive services. Implications: The recommendations can inform commissioners, funders and service providers of areas where support must be improved to address the needs of prisoners with a dual diagnosis. Improved outcomes for prisoners with a dual diagnosis would likely have a positive effect on society, with improvements in mental health and substance misuse treatment impacting on rates of reoffending. (Edited publisher abstract)
Arts and vulnerable people: examining the evidence base
- Author:
- SIVAPALAN Haran
- Publisher:
- Lemos and Crane
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 17
- Place of publication:
- London
This paper reviews the research evidence on the impact of arts therapy for vulnerable people. Participation in arts projects is linked to positive outcomes, such as symptomatic relief, raised self-esteem, and building social capital. The paper outlines the four principal forms of formal arts therapy, which are: art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy and dance movement therapy. It explains the rationale behind arts therapy and other arts initiatives, and how they may be beneficial to vulnerable people, including: individuals with mental illnesses; prisoners; Individuals receiving palliative care; older people; and homeless people. The paper concludes that while there is a need for more large-scale studies that differentiate between various types of therapy, the inherent value of producing and being involved in art should play a role when thinking about the added value of arts therapy. (Edited publisher abstract)
Why is it important to consider so-called 'invisible' older people in UK healthcare?
- Authors:
- TINKER Anthea, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, 15(4), 2014, pp.187-196.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Design/methodology/approach: Using information obtained from academic literature, government statistics and other publications from relevant organisations, this paper discusses older people who are in groups that are not readily visible to policy makers and practitioners. The authors investigated one 'invisible' group each and comparisons and conclusions were then made collaboratively. The six underserved populations covered were older people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, those from LGBT communities, older prisoners, older people with chronic long-term mental health problems (in particular depression and dementia) and those who are homeless. The issues of health needs, access to health care and provision of services are discussed. Findings: Many groups of older people seem to be absent from statistics and from policy making. The paper suggests that there needs to be more research to identify the scale of any problems and how they may be solved. Practical implications: There are practical implications for health and social care professionals if they do not recognise that there are groups in society about whom little is known. Lack of knowledge and empathy may affect their approach to these groups. (Edited publisher abstract)
Across the wire: veterans, mental health and vulnerability
- Author:
- FOSEY Matt
- Publisher:
- Centre for Mental Health
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 20p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This paper explores what is known from the published literature about the mental health of people who have served in the armed forces, about the links between mental health and alcohol use in service personnel, and about veterans in the criminal justice system. There appears to be a specific group of people whose needs are not met fully on discharge. This group mainly consists of single young men, with difficulties in adjusting to change, poor social skills and limited basic education, who leave the services early. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is not the most common mental health problem experienced by veterans. Depression, anxiety and alcohol abuse are far more prevalent, especially among young men leaving the services early. Veterans are less likely to go to prison than the general population. They are reported to comprise approximately 3.5% of the total prison population, which is about 20% fewer veterans in prison compared with a similarly matched non-veteran population. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations.