A study of psychiatry morbidity and co-morbid physical illness among convicted and awaiting trial inmates in Jos prison

Abstract Background Having a psychiatric diagnosis is still considered a major burden in life. In addition to dealing with stigma regarding mental illness, persons with severe mental illness have an added risk of having co-morbid medical illnesses that can further impair their already turbulent life. The importance of detecting co-morbid medical illnesses is to ensure a holistic treatment. This study assessed the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and co-morbid physical illness among convicted and awaiting trial inmates in Jos prison. Method A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out among 608 male inmates in Jos maximum security prison, Plateau State, Nigeria. They were screened with self administered GHQ-28 questionnaire and interviewed using CIDI. Results More than half (57%) of the studied subjects had a psychiatric disorder with substance use disorder as the commonest (48.7%) diagnosis. Physical co-morbidity was found in (18%) of the subjects with infectious disease (A00–A99) as the commonest source 13 (3.7%) of physical co-morbidity among the subjects. A statistically significant relationship was found between psychiatric disorder and co-morbid physical illness ( p = 0.000). Conclusion The study showed a high rate of psychiatric morbidity and co-morbid physical illness with infectious disease being the commonest source of physical co-morbidity; and substance use disorder the commonest psychiatric disorder among the prison inmates.