[Implications of psychoactive substances on the health of men deprived of liberty]

Gac Sanit. 2015 Jul-Aug;29(4):292-5. doi: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2015.01.001. Epub 2015 Feb 7.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Objective: To describe the frequency of the use of alcohol and other drugs, as well as different types of victimization in men deprived of liberty in the prisons of Castile-La Mancha (Spain).

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of men deprived of liberty in four prisons in Castile-La Mancha. An anonymous questionnaire on victimization was distributed among a total of 425 prisoners, with a confidence interval of 95%.

Results: The most commonly reported assaults were verbal, affecting 41.4% of the prisoners (n=176) and the least common were sexual, affecting 7.8% (n=33). The most commonly consumed substance was cannabis, with 40.2% (n=171) of prisoners consuming it in the previous month.

Conclusions: Victimization and substance use is a reality in prisons, and there is a statistically significant association between the two phenomena. This association should be further studied to design preventive measures and improve prison life.

Keywords: Drogas de abuso; Drugs of abuse; Prisiones; Prisons; Sexual violence; Victimización; Victimization; Violencia sexual.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcoholism / epidemiology*
  • Alcoholism / psychology
  • Bullying
  • Crime Victims / statistics & numerical data*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Illicit Drugs*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prisoners / psychology
  • Prisoners / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychotropic Drugs*
  • Sex Offenses
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Verbal Behavior
  • Violence
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Illicit Drugs
  • Psychotropic Drugs