Abstract
BackgroundDepression is the most common form of mental disorder among inmates, with a prevalence much higher than in the general population. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of depression among inmates and identify factors associated with it.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in Jhumka Regional Prison, the largest prison in eastern Nepal, from September 2014 to August 2015. A total of 434 randomly selected inmates were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire examining socio-demographic characteristics, detention status, self-reported health problems, substance use status, and suicidal ideation. Depression was screened using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied to determine the association between depression and related variables.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 35.7 years (SD 13.3). The prevalence of depression among the inmates was 35.3%. Approximately 2.3% reported suicidal ideation during imprisonment and 0.9% had attempted suicide inside the prison. In bivariate analysis, depression was significantly associated with previous incarceration (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.05–3.47, p = 0.033), poor self-rated health (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.16–2.64, p = 0.007), frequent appointments when encountering health problems (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.06–2.61, p = 0.028), suicidal ideation (OR = 4.44, 95%CI = 1.13–17.44, p = 0.038) and loss of weight (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.00–2.23, p = 0.049). However, only previous incarceration (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.04–3.74, p = 0.037) and frequent appointments when encountering health problems (AOR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.01–2.57, p = 0.046) remained significant in a multivariate model.ConclusionsThis study showed a high rate of depression among inmates in Nepal. The results suggest a need for psychiatric and rehabilitative care in correctional settings to improve the health status of the inmates.
Highlights
Depression is the most common form of mental disorder among inmates, with a prevalence much higher than in the general population
This study revealed that 35.3% of the inmates had symptoms of depression similar to those found in studies done in Ukraine, the United States, Nigeria and Iran [30,31,32,33]
There was no association of depression with the type of offense and the duration of imprisonment, which is consistent with the results found by Fotaye et al [45]
Summary
Depression is the most common form of mental disorder among inmates, with a prevalence much higher than in the general population. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of depression among inmates and identify factors associated with it. More than 10.2 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world (2014). Among these individuals, the United States has the highest prison population approximately 2.24 million [1]. The official capacity of the prison system in Nepal is 6416; the occupancy level is 254%. This figure clearly depicts the issue of overcrowding in prisons [2]
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