Ethical Issues of Mental Health Care in the Slovene Prison System

Abstract

(create) This chapter focuses on ethical issues of mental health care in the Slovene prison system. Suicide is a significant indicator of mental ill health. Slovenia has one of the highest suicide rates in the world (about 20 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2008). There were 75 self-inflicted injuries reported in the year 2008 and 69 in the year 2009 in prison. In 2009, medical health care was provided to 40 % of inmates (28 persons) with self-inflicted injuries and there were six hospitalizations in psychiatric hospitals. The most frequent self-inflicted injuries were cuts, hanging, blows, swallowing of items and poisoning. The government monitors the status of mental health of imprisoned persons on the basis of daily reports of extraordinary events in all prison facilities. Additional information on this subject is published annually as a report by the Prison Administration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).