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PSYCHIATRIC MORBIDITY AMONG CONVICTED MALE SEX OFFENDERS AT KAMITI PRISON, KENYA
Abstract
Objectives: To determine the prevalence and distribution of psychiatric morbidity among convicted
male sex offenders and to establish factors associated with sexual offending.
Design: A Cross-sectional descriptive survey.
Setting: Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, Nairobi, Kenya.
Subjects: Seventy six male convicts.
Results: Forty seven (61.8%) had defi lement-related convictions, 23 (30.3%) had rape-related, while
six (7.9%) had other convictions. Twenty seven (35.5%) out of 76 had a DSM-IV Axis I disorder,
majority of whom (71.1%) were dependent on or abused substances, and 26 (34.2%) had an Axis II
disorder, most of whom had antisocial and impulsive personality disorders (46.2%). Of these 12
(15.8%) had an Axis I diagnosis alone, 11 (14.5%) had an Axis II diagnosis alone while 15 (19.7%) had
both Axis I and II diagnoses, that is, co-morbidity. Exposure to erotica was statistically associated
with both Axis I and II (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003 respectively) and pre-occupation with thoughts
about sex was associated with Axis II disorders (p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Most of those with psychiatric morbidity targeted children and had antisocial or
impulsive personality disorder. Awareness campaigns to enlighten the public of the fact that
children are the most common victims and research to determine ways of treating and rehabilitating
sexual offenders could reduce the vice.
male sex offenders and to establish factors associated with sexual offending.
Design: A Cross-sectional descriptive survey.
Setting: Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, Nairobi, Kenya.
Subjects: Seventy six male convicts.
Results: Forty seven (61.8%) had defi lement-related convictions, 23 (30.3%) had rape-related, while
six (7.9%) had other convictions. Twenty seven (35.5%) out of 76 had a DSM-IV Axis I disorder,
majority of whom (71.1%) were dependent on or abused substances, and 26 (34.2%) had an Axis II
disorder, most of whom had antisocial and impulsive personality disorders (46.2%). Of these 12
(15.8%) had an Axis I diagnosis alone, 11 (14.5%) had an Axis II diagnosis alone while 15 (19.7%) had
both Axis I and II diagnoses, that is, co-morbidity. Exposure to erotica was statistically associated
with both Axis I and II (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0003 respectively) and pre-occupation with thoughts
about sex was associated with Axis II disorders (p = 0.01).
Conclusions: Most of those with psychiatric morbidity targeted children and had antisocial or
impulsive personality disorder. Awareness campaigns to enlighten the public of the fact that
children are the most common victims and research to determine ways of treating and rehabilitating
sexual offenders could reduce the vice.
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