The entire spectrum of suicidal behaviour (from ideation to completed suicide) is more commonly observed in prison inmates than in people in the general community of similar age and gender. Non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour occurs in about 5-6% of male prison inmates and 20-24% of female prisoners in the UK; comparable rates in the US are markedly lower at below 2% (Zarzar et al., 2019). These outcomes contribute to significant physical and mental health morbidity as well as a documented increase in mortality due to eventual suicides during imprisonment (Fazel et al., 2016; Fazel & Baillargeon, 2011). They also have implication for personal and institutional safety during incarceration as well as prison inmates’ quality of life outcomes after imprisonment. Studies evaluating differences in rates and patterns of these behaviours between high income and low-middle income countries are scarce.
This symposium aims to highlight international comparison of suicide-related behaviours among prisoners. Findings that will be highlighted in the symposium have implications for adapting the prison environment for improved mental health outcomes as well as improving mental health services in prison across settings. The symposium equally contributes to the discourse on cross-cultural research in the area of in-prison suicide/deliberate self-harm.
Learning objectives
By attending this session you will:
- Appreciate the burden of deliberate self-harm and suicidal behaviour in prisons across high and low-middle income countries
- Understand the role of in-prison factors in deliberate self-harm among inmates
- Understand the differences between offender categories in terms of suicidal behaviour while in prison
- Appreciate the impact of pre-existing mental disorders on suicidal or self-harming behaviour during imprisonment.
Speakers
Chair: Dr Catherine Durkin, Central and North West London Foundation Trust, London
Dr Thomas Stephenson, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London
Dr Ifedayo Ajayi, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Dr Adegboyega Ogunwale, Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Availability
This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2025 package. If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package. Otherwise the Congress webinar 2025 package can be purchased below.
