Background: High prevalence rates of psychiatric morbidity have been documented among adolescents within youth correctional institutions in Nigeria. However, there has not been prior investigation to determine the capacity for and nature of mental health services being provided in these institutions. Objectives: To assess psychiatric morbidity among adolescents within youth correctional institutions in Lagos, while simultaneously examining the capacity for and the scope of mental health services. Methods: Psychiatric morbidity and alcohol/substance use disorder were assessed among 165 respondents using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the CRAFFT screening tool for adolescent substance use disorder. Availability of mental-health services in the institutions was examined using an ‘audit protocol’. Results: We found prevalence rates of 18.2% and 15.8% of general psychiatric morbidity and alcohol/ substance use disorder, respectively, among the adolescents. Only about a third (34.3%; n = 20) of the operational staff at the institutions had educational backgrounds relevant to psycho-social services for children/adolescents, while less than a quarter (22.4%, n = 13) has ever received any training in child mental health services. There was no evidence of mental health screening and intervention in the service framework within the institutions. Conclusions: We concluded that there was evidence for significant mental health service gaps within the youth correctional services in Lagos.

中文翻译：

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在拉各斯的青年教养所中，患有精神病的青少年心理健康服务的状况

背景：在尼日利亚的青少年教养机构中，青少年的精神病患病率很高。但是，尚未进行过事先调查以确定这些机构所提供的精神卫生服务的能力和性质。目的：评估拉各斯青年惩教所内青少年的精神病发病率，同时检查精神卫生服务的能力和范围。方法：使用优势与困难调查表和CRAFFT筛查工具对青少年物质使用障碍进行评估，对165名受访者的精神病发病率和酒精/物质使用障碍进行了评估。使用“审核协议”检查了机构中精神卫生服务的可用性。结果：我们发现青少年的患病率分别为一般精神病发病率和酒精/物质使用障碍的18.2％和15.8％。这些机构中只有约三分之一（34.3％; n = 20）的业务人员具有与儿童/青少年心理社会服务相关的教育背景，而不到四分之一（22.4％，n = 13）曾接受过儿童心理健康服务培训。没有证据表明对机构内部的服务框架进行精神健康筛查和干预。结论：我们得出的结论是，有证据表明拉各斯的青少年教养所内部存在严重的精神卫生服务空白。这些机构的业务人员中，n = 20）具有与儿童/青少年心理社会服务相关的教育背景，而不到四分之一（22.4％，n = 13）曾接受过儿童心理健康服务方面的培训。没有证据表明对机构内部的服务框架进行精神健康筛查和干预。结论：我们得出的结论是，有证据表明拉各斯的青少年教养所内部存在严重的精神卫生服务空白。这些机构的业务人员中，n = 20）具有与儿童/青少年心理社会服务相关的教育背景，而不到四分之一（22.4％，n = 13）曾接受过儿童心理健康服务方面的培训。没有证据表明对机构内部的服务框架进行精神健康筛查和干预。结论：我们得出的结论是，有证据表明拉各斯的青少年教养所内部存在严重的精神卫生服务空白。