The association between substance use and mental health symptoms among incarcerated males in Spain

Abstract

This paper explores the association between substance use prior to and during incarceration and between psychiatric distress and substance use during incarceration. A sample of 943 male residents from three prisons located in Spain completed a self-report questionnaire probing psychiatric distress and substance use behaviors. Rates of community- and prison-based substance use were high among respondents and prison-based substance use was positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms during incarceration. These findings suggest a need to redouble the effort to provide dual diagnosis treatment to residents during incarceration and carefully monitor the prescribing and distribution of sedatives during incarceration.

Keywords:

• Substance use
• mental health
• prisons
• men
• Spain

Acknowledgment

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.