Perceptions of Prison Health Care Personnel

The global burden of illness associated with mental illnesses is on the increase, yet these disorders have essentially been absent from the global health agenda. According to the study done by Cortina et al. (2012: 276) mental illness in African countries accounts for 10% of the total burden of disease and is also associated with several other health conditions and is amongst the most expensive medical conditions to manage, but mental health services seem to be lacking in African countries. According to studies conducted previously, the number of people with mental illness in prisons has risen to unprecedented levels. There are over 10 million prisoners worldwide with mental illness. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of health care personnel regarding the availability and access to mental health care services for inmates in Maseru Prison, Lesotho. The significance of this book is that the findings will provide information which may be used to design and implement training programs for prison health care personnel, thus enhancing mental health care for inmates.