Opinions of the inmates with Psychiatric Problems Regarding Follow up Process in Krabi provincial Prison

Abstract

          Psychological and social factors have been considered as the important factors in many psychiatric treatments. Previous researches have investigated the consequences of social negative attitudes on psychiatric patients, as well as inmates. Negative attitude can lead to detrimental effects on inmate’s well being, treatment compliance, and psychiatric symptoms. Reducing negative perception of society and inmates themselves may improve patient’s quality of life and prevent social problems in the future. In particular, the knowledge in inmates’ perceptions of psychiatric treatment can help mental health professionals to improve treatment quality and help authorities to modify the psychiatric treatment system in the Krabi province. The current research aimed to explore the attitudes of psychiatric treatment of inmates with mental illness while staying in prison and after leaving prison. Forty participants (39 men and 1 woman) were 23 current inmates and 17 former inmates, with mental illness. Results revealed that 55% of participants wished to be treated at the hospital, 42.5% wished to be treated at the prison, and 2.5% felt no difference between both treatment venues. Fifty-five participants felt embarrassed when they were chained to the hospital, whereas 45% did not. Patients who wished to be treated at the hospital (55% of participants) stated that they expected to temporarily get away from the prison environment and have an eye-opening experience. In particular, 37% did not feel embarrassed while 17.5% felt like an embarrassment. Of 42% of participants who wished to be treated at the prison, 37.5% felt embarrassed while 17.5% did not. Specifically, those who did not wish to be treated at the hospital because of embarrassment stated that they had no intention to follow-up in clinic after being released. Moreover, 57.14% of this group were diagnosed as schizophrenia. This research revealed an astounding number of inmates with mental illness who felt embarrassed when they were chained publicly and wished to be treated at prison rather than at the hospital. It is therefore increasingly important for policy makers to consider the impact of treatment service at prison that it has on the inmate’s quality of social life and follow-up rate after leaving prison.