New study: Very high prevalence of mental disorders among individuals in preventive detention in Norway

A recent research article from the PriSUD project shows a significantly higher prevalence of mental disorders among individuals in preventive detention compared to other prisoners. The study, published in BMC Psychiatry, highlights a critical need for tailored health services for this group.

First author John Todd-Kvam and his colleagues have conducted a comprehensive registry study mapping the prevalence and patterns of mental disorders among individuals in preventive detention in Norway over a 13-year period. The results are clear: this group is significantly more vulnerable to mental health challenges than other prisoners, even when compared to those sentenced for similar serious offenses.

The study, titled "Prevalence and patterns of mental health disorders in long-term preventive detention: a 13-year national cohort study," sheds light on a vulnerable group that often has complex and severe disorders. The findings point to a great need to strengthen mental health services for those sentenced to preventive detention to ensure adequate treatment and follow-up.

The data for the study was sourced from the PriSUD project and the national nPRIS cohort, which is a registry linkage containing information on everyone who has been incarcerated in Norwegian prisons. This provides a unique and robust basis for analysing health challenges in this population.

The article is the result of a broad academic collaboration between researchers from several institutions including the Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, the Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research (SERAF) at the University of Oslo, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction at Oslo University Hospital, the University College of Norwegian Correctional Service (KRUS), and the Centre for Research and Education in Security, Prison and Forensic Psychiatry (SIFER). This interdisciplinary collaboration has been crucial for shedding light on a complex and important topic from multiple perspectives.