Psychiatric morbidity among sentenced male prisoners in Dubai: transcultural perspectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and nature of psychiatric morbidity among sentenced male prisoners in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sociodemographic data were collected from 142 UAE national prisoners. All were interviewed by a psychiatrist who administered the CIS and the CAGE questionnaires, documented self-reported substance misuse, previous seizures and deliberate self-harm and, finally, made a clinical ICD-10 diagnosis when appropriate. A psychiatric diagnosis was made in 25% of the sample, problematic drinking was identified in 28% and drug and volatile substance misuse in 63%. Evidence for both problematic drinking and history of drug withdrawal phenomena was demonstrated in 16% of the sample. Previous seizures were reported by 13% and self-harm by 32%. These results are suggestive of higher rates of substance misuse compared to other relevant studies. Among other explanations, this is most likely related to the strict rules prohibiting such substances: their users are consequently over-represented among those who are convicted.