Abstract:
Background: Depression is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease and
affects people in all communities across the world. Despite the existence of the problem,
depression is hardly ever recognized and managed in prison settings. In Ethiopia, the
existing studies mainly focused on prevalence of depression and identify associated
factors but could not explore factors like remission restriction, parole restriction,
probation restriction, violence, torture and bribe which are common in prison an expected
to be associated with depression.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of depression and associated factors among Woliso
town prisoners, Oromia, central Ethiopia in 2023.
Method: A cross-sectional study design supplemented by qualitative study was employed
among 334 prisoners selected by simple random sampling method. Data were collected
by using structured questionnaires and entered into EPI Info version 7.2 then exported to
SPSS version 25.1 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was done for
candidate variables with a cut-off of 0.25 p- value to determine factors associated with
depression and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% CIs were computed and reported.
Finally, P-value < 0.05 used to declare statistically significant variables in the final model.
Qualitative data were collected through FGD guided by semi structured questionnaire and
thematic analysis was done.
Results: A total of 334 study participants were participated give 100% response rate. The
magnitude of depression among prisoners was 49.7% (95% CI: 44.0 - 55.10). Absence of
job in prison, poor social support in prison and staying more than five years in prison
were factors significantly associated with depression. Members of each group discussion
mentioned conditions associated with depression like remission restriction, poor quality
of food, poor quality of living room, insecurity, and medical care restriction are common.
Conclusion and Recommendation: The magnitude of depression among prisoners are
high. Furthermore, poor social support, absence of work in prison, staying more than five
years, and absence of religion practicing are significantly associated with depression.
Therefore, creating job opportunity, giving remission regularly, exercising judicial fair
trail, promote religion practicing are essential to reduce it.
