MENTAL HEALTH PARAMETERS AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELDERLY INMATES AT BHOPAL CENTRAL JAIL: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: The global prison population of 11.7 million includes a growing elderly demographic facing unique mental health challenges. India's prison system, with 130.2% occupancy rate, presents particularly concerning conditions for elderly inmates. Objective: To assess mental health parameters including depression, cognitive impairment, and quality of life among elderly inmates (≥60 years) at Bhopal Central Jail and examine their relationship with sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 201 elderly inmates using standardized instruments including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale-Hindi (GDS-H), and WHO Quality of Life-BREF. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Of 201 participants, 83.6% were male with mean age 65.2 years. Depression prevalence was significant (59.4% moderate to severe), cognitive impairment affected 60.2% (severe: 6.3%, moderate: 40.6%), and 64.1% reported good quality of life despite challenges. Murder/homicide cases constituted 43.8% of charges, with 28.4% serving life imprisonment. Significant associations were found between socioeconomic status and cognitive function (p<0.001), contact frequency and depression (p=0.024), and educational level with cognitive impairment (p<0.001). Conclusions: Elderly inmates demonstrate substantial mental health burden requiring targeted interventions. Quality of life maintenance despite adversity suggests resilience factors that warrant further investigation.