Mental health and health-care use of detainees in police custody.

Abstract Background In many countries, forensic physicians function as primary care providers for detainees in police custody. Their task is comparable to the tasks of general practitioners. Nevertheless, problems presented by both patient populations may differ. We therefore aimed to systematically compare presented problems and medication use in a population of police detainees to those of regular patients in general practice. Methods Health problems and prescription medications of 3232 detainees seen by the Amsterdam Forensic Medical Service were compared to those of general practice patients ( n  = 78,975) adjusted for age and gender during a 12-month period. Results Among those obtaining medical attention (28% of all detainees), almost 50% were diagnosed with mental health problems, with substance abuse as the leading reason for consultation. Forty-two percent received at least one prescription affecting the nervous system. In general practice, 17% ( P P Conclusion The magnitude of mental health problems among police detainees has significant implications for the qualifications of police health staff and those who provide health care in the police setting especially concerning substance abuse.