Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression among Prisoners in Jimma Town Prison, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Mental disorder is one of the greatest challenges that current and future generations will face. Currently among all people suffering from depression, 85% of them live in low- and middle-income countries. Previous studies reported the global burden/prevalence of depression to be five to ten times higher among prisoners than the general population. However, the prevalence of depression among prisoners in our study area is not known. Objective This study therefore aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression among prisoners in Jimma town in 2017. Method A cross-sectional study design was employed on 332 prisoners selected by systematic random sampling method. Data was collected by a face to face interview using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) scale. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Result The study revealed that 41.9% (n = 139) of participants among prisoners had depression. Having family history of mental illness (AOR = 6.05, 95% CI = 2.6, 13.8), having chronic physical illness (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.29, 6.41), having history of previous incarceration (AOR = 3.26, 95% CI = 1.02, 10.64), lack of job in the prison (AOR = 4.96, 95% CI = 2.09, 11.8), lifetime alcohol use (AOR = 3.61, 95% CI = 1.8, 7.26), thinking life to be a difficult one after release from prison (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.2, 3.6), having age between 21 and 25 years (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.06, 3.89), and having poor social support (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.27, 3.82) had significant association with depression in the fully adjusted final regression model. Conclusion This study has shown that the prevalence of depression among prisoners was very high. Having family history of mental illness, having chronic physical illness, having previous incarceration, lack of job in prison, lifetime alcohol use, thinking life to be difficult one after release from prison, having age between 21 and 25 years old, and having poor social support were found to have an impact on the prevalence of depression.

Depressive disorder and its associated factors among prisoners in Debre Berhan Town, North Showa, Ethiopia

“…As evidenced in different studies, chronic medical illness is highly linked with depression resulting in poor prognosis and suicide [44][45][46]. Our study also revealed that those prisoners who have chronic medical illness have a higher odd to suffer from depression (AOR=2.51 CI:1.32,4.79) and this is in line with studies from Hawassa and Jimma prisons of Ethiopia [19,21].…”

“…A cross-sectional study (n=355) in Hawassa Central Correctional Institution determined the prevalence of depression among prisoners by using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is 56.4% [19]. Another most recent study from Ethiopia (Bahir Dar Prison) using the same tool (PHQ-9) revealed the prevalence of depression 45.5% [20] and a similar prevalence of depression is observed in Jimma Town Prison (41.9%) [21] and the prisons of Northwest Amhara, Ethiopia (43.8%) [22]. Different risk factors may result in depression such as gender and age; economic, educational, employment and marital status; disability, and poor social support; chronic medical illness (like, hypertension, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS); history of suicide, family history of psychiatric problems and exposure to violence and crime, and acculturation stress [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

Depressive symptoms and its associated factors among prisoners in Debre Berhan prison, Ethiopia

“…Another most recent study from Bahir Dar Prison, Ethiopia, using the same tool revealed a prevalence of 45.5% [22]. A similar prevalence of depression is observed in Jimma Town Prison [23] and the prison in Northwest Amhara [22], (i.e., 41.9% and 43.8%, respectively).…”

Quasi‐Experimental Single‐Subject Design: Comparing Seeking Safety and Canine‐Assisted Therapy Interventions Among Mentally Ill Female Inmates

“…Depression is the most common co‐occurring disorder with PTSD among trauma survivors (Briere & Scott, ). Abdu, Kabeta, Dube, Tessema, and Abera () found that 41.9% of prisoners reported clinical levels of depression on the Beck Depression Inventory–II. However, the DOJ provides more conservative estimates, ranging from 23% for state prisoners to 30% for jail inmates (James & Glaze, ).…”