Introduction:

Elderly prisoners are a minority in the prison population but their number is increasing compared to other groups. Mental health problems in elderly prisoners can be caused by the length of the detention period, being separated from family and partners, and conflicts that occur between inmates in prison which worsen the mental health conditions of elderly prisoners. Research on mental health problems in elderly prisoners is also still limited.

Method:

A scoping review study design was used. Articles searched through PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest, Sage Journal, and Google Scholar. Articles published from 2000 to 2023. The keywords used in English are “Elderly”, “Mental Health Problems”, and “Prisoners.

Results:

Of the nine articles analyzed, we found the mental health problems of elderly prisoners were anxiety, agoraphobia, depression, bipolar, personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide risk, mood disorders, psychosis spectrum disorders or schizophrenia, and alcohol abuse or dependence.

Conclusions:

Based on several findings, it is recommended for further research focus on providing appropriate interventions for elderly prisoners who experience mental health problems, as well as identifying the extent of mental health services for elderly prisoners.

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