Mental illness affects an estimated 500 million people globally, with 85% living in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs). Research has shown that people with mental illness are over-represented in the criminal justice system compared with the general population. There is limited information available on institutional attitudes towards mental illness in LMICs.

This study aimed to examine mental health literacy (MHL) and mental health stigma (MHS) among Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officers.

A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted among ZPCS officers (N = 163) between August and December 2022. Data were collected using the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and Attitudes Towards Mentally Ill Offenders (ATMIO). The primary hypothesis was that increased MHL is inversely related to MHS in this group.

A significant inverse correlation was found between MHL and MHS (r = 0.36, P < 0.001). A regression analysis controlling for age and sex showed that MHLS is a statistically significant component in this model, indicating that MHL is associated with reduced MHS (P < 0.001).

In this group, increased MHL is associated with decreased MHS. This suggests that interventions to increase MHL should be further evaluated in these settings.