Magnitude Of Depression And Associated Factors Among Prisoners In Woliso Town Oromia, Central Ethiopia

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.