Assessing incarcerated women’s physical and mental health status and needs in a Swiss prison: a cross-sectional study

Table 3 Incarcerated Women’s Self-Reported Health-Risk Behaviours Prior to and During Incarceration (n = 60)

Variables	Study sample
	n or else specified	% or else specified
Smoking status
Non-smoker	9	15.0
Former smoker	3	5.0
Active smoker	47	78.3
Nonresponse	1	1.7
Felt tobacco use increased since incarceration (% yes) ^a	29	61.7
Nicotine dependence (FTND) ^a
Low dependence	5	8.3
Low to moderate dependence	10	16.7
Moderate dependence	24	40.0
High dependence	5	8.3
Partial assessment	3	6.4
Alcohol use prior to incarceration (% yes) ^b	38	64.4
Levels of risk for alcohol use problems prior to incarceration (AUDIT) ^c
Low risk	20	52.6
Drinking in excess of low risk guidelines	4	10.5
Harmful and hazardous drinking	6	15.8
Possible alcohol dependence	8	21.1
Alcohol use in prison (% yes) ^b	4	6.8
Drug use prior to incarceration (% yes) ^b	29	49.2
Levels of risk for drug use problems prior to incarceration (DAST-10) ^d
Low level	5	17.2
Moderate level	6	20.7
Substantial level	12	41.4
Severe level	6	20.7
Drug use in prison (% yes) ^b	5	8.3
Prostitution experience prior to incarceration (% yes) ^e	8	13.3
Sexual activity during incarceration (% yes) ^b	7	11.9
Self-reported physical activity in prison ^b
More active than before incarceration	6	10
As active as before incarceration	6	10
Less active than before incarceration	46	76.7
Doesn’t know	1	1.7

^aPercentages calculated on the number of active smokers, n = 47
^bData available for 589 women
^cPercentages calculated on the number of women who drank prior to incarceration, n = 38
^dPercentages calculated on the number of women who used drug prior to incarceration, n = 29
^fData available for 58 women

ISSN: 2194-7899