Factors associated with depression among prisoners in Mizan prison institute, southwest Ethiopia

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-11-2020-0093
• Published date: 01 October 2021
• Date: 01 October 2021
• Pages: 275-284
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice
• Author: Bethelehem Girma,Abonesh Taye,Wondimagegn Wondimu,Melese Sinaga

Factors associated with depression

among prisoners in Mizan prison institute,

southwest Ethiopia

Bethelehem Girma, Abonesh Taye, Wondimagegn Wondimu and Melese Sinaga

Abstract

Purpose –In spite of the vulnerability of prisoners to depression and their increased number, the

issue has not been thoroughly investigated in Ethiopia. In particular, the determining factors of

depression have not been exhaustively identified. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the

prevalence of depression and associated factors among prisoners in Mizan prison institute,

southwest Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach –An institution-basedcross-sectional study wasconducted from April

6–27, 2020. A total of 340 randomly selectedprisoners were included. Depression was assessed using

the Patient Health Questionnaire-nine and participants wereconsidered to be in a state of depression if

they scored five and above.Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between the

outcome variable (depression) and the independent variables (factors). The odds ratio with a 95%

confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the strength of association. The final significance was

decidedusing a p-value <0.05.

Findings –The prevalence of depression was 29.9% (95% CI: 25%, 34.8%). Prisoners who

were not participating in the duty work of the prison had 55% (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.45;

95% CI: 0.22, 0.93) less odds of depression compared to those who were participating in the duty

work. Similarly, physically active respondents had 81% (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.35) less odds

of depression than physically inactive respondents. Moreover, undernourished participants had

two times (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.82) higher odds of depression than normal participants.

Research limitations/implications –Considering their risk of exposure compared to the general

population and the limitations of cross-sectional study design, special care should be provided to the

prisoners’ mental health. Moreover, priority attention shouldbe given to the undernourished, physically

inactiveand those who are participating in duty work in the prison.

Originality/value –This studydemonstrated important and modifiablefactors associated with prisoners’

depression. It also evaluated the contribution of new variables (such as participation in the duty work,

nutritionalstatus and physical activity) thatwere not considered in previous local studies.

Keywords Prison, Depression, Mizan, PHQ, Prison mental health, Southwest Ethiopia

Paper type Research paper

List of abbreviations

AIDS = acquired immune deficiency disease;

AOR = adjusted odds ratio;

BMI = body mass index;

CI = confidence intervals;

COR = crude odds ratio;

HIV = human immune deficiency virus;

IQR = interquartile range; and

PHQ = patient health questionnaire.

Bethelehem Girma is based

at the Department of Health

Extension Program, Mizan

Aman College of Health

Sciences, Mizan Aman,

Ethiopia. Abonesh Taye is

based at the Department of

Nutrition and Dietetics,

Faculty of Public Health,

Jimma University, Jimma,

Ethiopia.

Wondimagegn Wondimu is

based at the Department of

Epidemiology and

Biostatistics, School of

Public Health, College of

Medicine and Health

Sciences, Mizan-Tepi

University, Mizan Aman,

Ethiopia. Melese Sinaga is

based at the Department of

Nutrition and Dietetics,

Faculty of Public Health,

Jimma University, Jimma,

Ethiopia.

Received 19 November 2020

Revised 17 June 2021

4 July 2021

8 July 2021

15 July 2021

Accepted 16 July 2021

Conflict of interests: The

authors have declared that no

competing interests exist.

Funding statement: No funding

was obtained to conduct this

research.

DOI 10.1108/IJPH-11-2020-0093 VOL. 18 NO. 3 2022, pp. 275-284, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200 jINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRISONER HEALTH jPAGE 275