Depressive symptoms and drug abuse among incarcerated women in cadeia pública feminina de Votorantim/SP

Abstract

ABSTRACT
This is a qualitative study grounded in Social Representations Theory (SRT), with descriptive approach. Objectives: the research aimed to identify the life trajectories of women incarcerated in the Public Jail Women's Votorantim, its prospects and the meanings attributed to prison. The specific objectives were: (1) identify the socio-demographic and clinical data, (2) the prevalence of depressive symptoms and (3) the use, abuse or dependence symptoms in women prisoners. Methods: we interviewed 25 women, trapped interim Chain Public Women's Votorantim. The arrested after signing the Instrument of Consent, responding to a data sheet Sociodemographic and Clinical Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We use the Collective Subject Discourse to present the result of discursive question. For the rest of the specs of sociodemographic and clinical data and the Beck Depression Questionnaire, we chose the descriptive approach. Results: most of the interviewees was arrested for drug trafficking, has fragmented family history, present history of physical abuse and/or sexual abuse, have significant mental health problems, physical and substance abuse; 80% of women who responded to the BDI were identified as having moderate to severe depression, and the items that scored more this index were: loss of libido, sadness, punishment, insomnia. Conclusion: it is vital to ensure the rights of the imprisoned health access. We suggest that every convict follow a process of initial assessment, to be diagnosed soon: substance dependence and depression.