[Psychiatric treatment of prisoners in general psychiatric wards exemplified by North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Pfalz]. / Psychiatrische Behandlung von Gefangenen in allgemeinpsychiatrischen Einrichtungen am Beispiel von Nordrhein-Westfalen und Rheinland-Pfalz.

OBJECTIVE: The study was intended to provide information on the frequency and general condition of inpatient and outpatient treatment of mentally disturbed prisoners in general psychiatry in Germany. METHODS: Directors of psychiatric institutions and chief physicians of prisons in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Rheinland-Pfalz were interviewed via a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: The use of inpatient psychiatric treatment was approximately 0.1 to 2.3% in 1997 with reference to the total admissions in 1997. CONCLUSION: The rare use of psychiatric beds in general psychiatry may reflect obstacles concerning the status of prisoners and reservations regarding difficult patients.