Impact of Drug Abuse on Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health Among Prison Inmates

Abstract

People in prison experience a high burden of physical and mental health problems, particularly those related to substance use disorders. This community service activity aimed to improve inmates’ knowledge regarding the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual impacts of drug abuse through a structured health education intervention. The program was conducted at Class I Detention Center Bandung using interactive lectures, small-group discussions, reflective sessions, and printed educational media. Knowledge levels were assessed using a 10-item multiple-choice questionnaire administered before and after the intervention. Data normality was evaluated using the Shapiro–Wilk test, and differences in scores were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test due to non-normal data distribution. A total of 43 inmates participated in the program. The findings demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge scores, with mean scores improving from 55.4 in the pre-test to 82.7 in the post-test (p = 0.006). These results indicate that the health education intervention was effective in improving participants’ understanding of the health impacts of drug abuse. A biopsychosocial-spiritual approach was found to be feasible and potentially beneficial in supporting health education efforts within correctional settings. Continuous educational programs are recommended to support sustained awareness and rehabilitation initiatives among incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders.