Insufficient Post-Imprisonment Care Puts Prisoners at Risk of Mental Health Issues

Strategic Insights -

Prison populations worldwide struggle with significant mental health and substance use problems. Despite the pressing need for support, post-imprisonment care in Scotland appears to be inadequate. Research by the University of Stirling highlights the prevalence of mental health and substance use issues among former prisoners, with elevated rates of emergency care and deaths attributed to these issues. The study, known as RELEASE, aims to examine post-imprisonment healthcare contacts and service utilization patterns to inform more effective care delivery.

Key Takeaways:

  • Research reveals that mental health and substance use problems are highly prevalent among the prison population in Scotland, with a significant portion of former prisoners experiencing elevated rates of emergency care and deaths.
  • RELEASE is a comprehensive study that will follow a retrospective observational cohort design, examining post-imprisonment healthcare contacts across community, outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services for mental health and substance use.
  • The study will analyze data from 2015 and beyond, focusing on a cohort of individuals released from prison, as well as a random sample of the general population matched on age, sex, postcode, and deprivation.
  • Service contacts associated with mental health and substance use will be quantified and compared across the two groups using regression modeling, controlling for potential confounding variables, re-imprisonment, and deaths.
  • The study will provide insights into post-imprisonment service delivery and potentially explore other health conditions and outcomes, contributing significantly to public health.

Statistics:

  • The prevalence of mental health and substance use issues among Scottish prisoners is estimated to be high, with significant numbers experiencing emergency care and deaths attributed to these issues.
  • The RELEASE study will analyze data from over 20,000 individuals released from prison in Scotland since 2015, with a random sample of the general population matched at a 1:5 ratio.
  • The study will examine the utilization patterns of various post-imprisonment healthcare services, including community prescribing, outpatient visits, specialist substance use, and psychiatric inpatient services.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New Demography Study Findings Have Been Reported by Researchers at University of Stirling [Access to services for mental ill-health and substance use among people released from prison in Scotland (RELEASE): Retrospective observational cohort ...]. Clinical Trials Week. November 3, 2025; p 918.
  • Release: Access to services for mental ill-health and substance use among people released from prison in Scotland (RELEASE): Retrospective observational cohort study protocol. International Journal of Population Data Science, 2025,10(1).
  • International Journal of Population Data Science. Available at https://ijpds.org
  • Swansea University. Available at https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.23889/ijpds.v10i1.2971