The impact of primary mental health care in a prison system in Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the impact of a psychiatric service in a prison general hospital that refers prisoners with mental disorders to a separate forensic psychiatric hospital (FPH). Method: Analysis of data on prison population and referrals to the FPH. Results: Despite a 10.9% increase in the overall prison system population over 3 years, referrals from the prison general hospital with the new psychiatric service to the FPH were reduced by 36.5%, whereas referrals from other prisons increased by 120.4%. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the efficiency of the new primary health care approach.