Current and Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders in a Juvenile Borstal Institution in Nigeria

Chronic and violent juvenile offending has been associateci with adverse health, educational, vocational and interpersonal consequences with repercussion seen inta adulthood. Youths with menta1 disorders pose a challenge for the juvenile system and after their release for the larger menta1 health system. This study investigated current and lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in a Borstal home in Nigeria. The study is a cross-sectional, descriptive ane and reports exclusively on the 53 youths, aged 14-21 years, remanded ai the Juvenile Borstal Institution in lIorin, the Kwara state CapitaI. The inrnates were interviewed using MINI-KID. The mean age±SD of the imnates was 17.3±2.1 years. Majority ofthem (52.8%) were between 18-21 years of age. Cwrent psychiatric diagnoses were made in 67.6% of them and lifetime diagnoses made in 64.2% of the inrnates. Recommendation is made for early detection and treatment of these psychiatric disorders.