Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders and Suicide Attempts in a Prison Population

180 male prisoners aged 18-44 in Edmonton were surveyed on their demographic & psychiatric status and compared to controls. Inmates were young, poorly educated, and few were married. Psychiatric disorders were higher than in the general population. The lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts by inmates was 24%, more than 7 times the expected rate. Inmates with a history of suicide attempts had higher rates of alcohol/drug abuse & mental disorders than non-suicidal inmates. (34 refs.)