Prevalence of depression and associated factors among prisoners at the eastern Ethiopia, Prison Commission

Abstract

Background: Depression affects every population worldwide and plays a major role in the burden of diseases worldwide. People who are imprisonedare especially susceptible to depression. Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of depression, identify risk factors for depression, and characterize the signs and symptoms of depression among inmates at the eastern Ethiopia, Prison Commission. Methods: The study was carried out between May and June of 2022 in eastern Ethiopia, Prison Commission. A simple random selection method was employed to choose 210 inmates. The 21-item Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II), with a cut point of eleven or higher, was used to measure depression. Information on behavioral aspects, perceived general well-being, demographic characteristics, and jail context variables was gathered using an organized questionnaire trained interviewers gathered the information. The data was analyzed using version 25 of the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS). To find determinants of depression, multivariable logistic regression was employed. Results: According to the study, 61.9 % of people had depression (95 % CI: 55.2, 68.6 %). Depression was significantly correlated with having a chronic medical condition (AOR = 2.73 95 % CI:1.31, 5.23), having suicidal thoughts (AOR = 2.13, 95 %CI:1.03, 4.86), having inadequate social support (AOR = 2.91, 95 %CI:1.03, 6.24), being between the ages of 18 and 25 (AOR = 7.72, 95 %CI:1.64, 8.45), and being between the ages of 26 and 36 (AOR = 5.28, 95 %CI:1.08, 6.81). Conclusion: This study indicates that there is a notably high prevalence of depression among convicts. Among all inmates, mild depression affected 27.1 %, moderate depression affected 25.7 %, which severe depression affected 8.1 %, and extreme depression affected just 1 %.Having chronic medical illness, poor social support, suicidal ideation in prison, and being between the ages of 18–25 and 26–33 years were found to be associated with depression. Therefore, inmates who have a history of suicide attempts, lack social support, or have a chronic medical condition that coexists with their imprisonment must have better early screening and treatment for depression by the Harari Regional Prison Commission’s administration in partnership with responsible governmental and non-governmental organizations.

Keywords

• Prevalence
• Depression
• Prisoners
• Prison
• Harar
• Ethiopia