Abstract:
The purpose of the current research was to compare former detainees of Khiam prison
to a comparison group regarding depression, anxiety, presence of chronic diseases, smoking, and
alcohol drinking. The sample consisted of 118 ex-detainees and 90 community controls. The Beck
Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the Clinician-Administered Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder Scale, and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire were used. The ex-detainees suffered from an
increased level of depression, high anxiety scores, increased chronic diseases, smoked more, and
consumed more alcohol than their comparison group. Regression analyses showed that detainment
independently predicted depression and anxiety.
