Cited by 254Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesCriminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 84 of the 84 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 2 of the 39 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Risk factors for self-harm in prison: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Open access
Favril, Louis, Yu, Rongqin, Hawton, Keith, Fazel, Seena·2020·The Lancet Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Self-harm is a leading cause of morbidity in prisoners. Although a wide range of risk factors for self-harm in prisoners has been identified, the strength and consistency of effect sizes is uncertain. We aimed to synthesise evidence and assess the risk factors associated with self-harm inside prison. Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) for observational studies on risk factors for self-harm in prisoners published from database inception to Oct 31, 2019, supplemented through correspondence with authors of studies. We included primary studies involving adults sampled from general prison populations who self-harmed in prison and a comparison group without self-harm in prison. We excluded studies with qualitative or ecological designs, those that reported on lifetime measures of self-harm or on selected samples of prisoners, and those with a comparison group that was not appropriate or not based on general prison populations. Data were extracted from the articles and requested from study authors. Our primary outcome was the risk of self-harm for risk factors in prisoners. We pooled effect sizes as odds ratios (OR) using random effects models for each risk factor examined in at least three distinct samples. We assessed study quality on the basis of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and examined between-study heterogeneity. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42018087915. Findings We identified 35 independent studies from 20 countries comprising a total of 663 735 prisoners, of whom 24 978 (3·8%) had self-harmed in prison. Across the 40 risk factors examined, the strongest associations with self-harm in prison were found for suicide-related antecedents, including current or recent suicidal ideation (OR 13·8, 95% CI 8·6–22·1; I 2 =49%), lifetime history of suicidal ideation (8·9, 6·1–13·0; I 2 =56%), and previous self-harm (6·6, 5·3–8·3; I 2 =55%). Any current psychiatric diagnosis was also strongly associated with self-harm (8·1, 7·0–9·4; I 2 =0%), particularly major depression (9·3, 2·9–29·5; I 2 =91%) and borderline personality disorder (9·2, 3·7–22·5; I 2 =81%). Prison-specific environmental risk factors for self-harm included solitary confinement (5·6, 2·7–11·6; I 2 =98%), disciplinary infractions (3·5, 1·2–9·7; I 2 =99%), and experiencing sexual or physical victimisation while in prison (3·2, 2·1–4·8; I 2 =44%). Sociodemographic (OR range 1·5–2·5) and criminological (1·8–2·3) factors were only modestly associated with self-harm in prison. We did not find clear evidence of publication bias. Interpretation The wide range of risk factors across clinical and custody-related domains underscores the need for a comprehensive, prison-wide approach towards preventing self-harm in prison. This approach should incorporate both population and targeted strategies, with multiagency collaboration between the services for mental health, social care, and criminal justice having a key role. Funding Wellcome Trust.

Overview

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TL;DR

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 studies including 663,735 prisoners found that the strongest risk factors for self-harm in prison were suicide-related antecedents and psychiatric morbidity, with prison-specific environmental factors also strongly associated. The authors conclude that prevention requires a comprehensive, prison-wide approach with multiagency collaboration.

Key findings

  • Across 40 risk factors, the strongest associations were current or recent suicidal ideation (OR 13·8, 95% CI 8·6–22·1; I²=49%), lifetime history of suicidal ideation (8·9, 6·1–13·0; I²=56%), and previous self-harm (6·6, 5·3–8·3; I²=55%).
  • Any current psychiatric diagnosis was strongly associated with self-harm (8·1, 7·0–9·4; I²=0%), particularly major depression (9·3, 2·9–29·5; I²=91%) and borderline personality disorder (9·2, 3·7–22·5; I²=81%).
  • Prison-specific environmental risk factors included solitary confinement (5·6, 2·7–11·6; I²=98%), disciplinary infractions (3·5, 1·2–9·7; I²=99%), and sexual or physical victimisation while in prison (3·2, 2·1–4·8; I²=44%). Sociodemographic (OR range 1·5–2·5) and criminological (1·8–2·3) factors were only modestly associated.
  • The authors did not find clear evidence of publication bias; sensitivity analyses excluding low-quality studies did not materially change risk factor estimates.

Methods

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA, registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018087915). Searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO from database inception to Oct 31, 2019, with no language restrictions, supplemented by hand-searching and author correspondence.
  • Included 35 independent studies from 20 countries comprising 663,735 prisoners, of whom 24,978 (3·8%) had self-harmed in prison. Median sample size was 785 (IQR 142–2119); 9·6% of the pooled sample were women.
  • Pooled odds ratios using random-effects models for risk factors examined in at least three distinct samples; heterogeneity assessed with I²; study quality assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale; meta-regression examined sample size and outcome definition; publication bias assessed via funnel plots and Egger’s test.

Limitations

  • Paper-stated limitations include lack of adjustment for confounding and non-independence of risk factors; possible reverse causality; no consideration of chronicity or frequency of self-harm; reliance on retrospective self-report in most cross-sectional studies, which may inflate estimates; high heterogeneity among some estimates; inability to investigate institutional variables such as prison size, mental health care availability, and overcrowding; no studies from low-income and middle-income countries; and limited sex-stratified analysis because 13 studies combined sexes.
  • Evident from the text: most included studies were case-control (k=17) or cross-sectional (k=12), with only six cohorts and only two prospective studies; the three largest retrospective studies accounted for 609,366 (91·8%) of the pooled sample, and several key pooled estimates had very high heterogeneity (e.g., solitary confinement I²=98%, disciplinary infractions I²=99%).

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30190-5

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Figures

Figure 1 Study selection *Articles were sometimes excluded for multiple reasons; the numbers listed are based on the major reasons for article exclusion.
Figure 1 Study selection *Articles were sometimes excluded for multiple reasons; the numbers listed are based on the major reasons for article exclusion.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Previous self-harm as a risk factor for self-harm in prison The dots represent the effect sizes and the lines represent the 95% CI from each primary study. The size of the grey boxes reflects the weight attributed to each study. Weights are from random effects analysis. The diamond denotes the pooled summary effect size and CIs. OR=odds ratio.
Figure 2 Previous self-harm as a risk factor for self-harm in prison The dots represent the effect sizes and the lines represent the 95% CI from each primary study. The size of the grey boxes reflects the weight attributed to each study. Weights are from random effects analysis. The diamond denotes the pooled summary effect size and CIs. OR=odds ratio.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Psychiatric disorders as risk factors for self-harm in prison The dots represent the effect sizes and the lines represent the 95% CI from each primary study. The size of the grey boxes reflects the weight attributed to each study. Weights are from random effects analysis. The diamonds denote the pooled summary effect size and CIs. OR=odds ratio.
Figure 3 Psychiatric disorders as risk factors for self-harm in prison The dots represent the effect sizes and the lines represent the 95% CI from each primary study. The size of the grey boxes reflects the weight attributed to each study. Weights are from random effects analysis. The diamonds denote the pooled summary effect size and CIs. OR=odds ratio.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 4 Leading risk factors for self-harm in prison from each domain The dots denote the summary effect sizes from random effects models and the lines denote 95% CIs for all studies. OR=odds ratio.
Figure 4 Leading risk factors for self-harm in prison from each domain The dots denote the summary effect sizes from random effects models and the lines denote 95% CIs for all studies. OR=odds ratio.CC BY · PubMed Central

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    Risk factors for self-harm are unlikely to be independent of each other.

    “risk factors are unlikely to be independent of each other (eg, psychiatric comorbidity).”
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Metadata

Authors
Favril, L., Yu, R., Hawton, K., & Fazel, S.
Affiliations
  • Ghent University (BE)
  • Warneford Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Fazel, Seena
Venue
The Lancet Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-08
Volume
7
Issue
8
Pages
682-691
ISSN
2215-0366 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3044322306
Cited by
254
References
84
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 53 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 5
FWCI
2.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Lancet Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Universität Ulm
  • Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
  • University of Ottawa
  • Nottingham Trent University
  • St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
  • Universitat de Barcelona
  • University of Queensland
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
self-harm, prisoners, risk factors, suicidal ideation, mental illness, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, self-harm history, suicide prevention programs, suicide prevention funding
MeSH terms
Mental Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder, Criminal Law, Major Depressive Disorder, Evaluation Studies as Topic, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Prisoners, Risk Factors, Suicide, Attempted, Case-Control Studies, Self-Injurious Behavior, Crime Victims, Suicidal Ideation, Observational Studies as Topic

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