Suicidal Behavior and Associated Factors among Prisoners in Jimma Town Correctional Institution South, West Ethiopia, 2017

Introduction: Suicidal behavior is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Being in correctional institution is continues to be associated with an under-recognized risk for suicidal behavior. The increased risk of suicidal behavior in correctional institution is because of several factors including prison related, psychiatric disorders and substance use related factors are believed to be associated.Objective: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal behavior among prisoners in Jimma town correctional institution; South West Ethiopia 2017.Methods: An Institutional based cross-sectional study design was employing among 336 prisoners in Jimma town correctional institution in 2017. Systematic random sampling technique was used. A structured pretested SBQ-R questioner was used and the data was collected with face to face interview. Data was entered in to Epi-data version 3.1, and then exported in to SPSS version 21.0 statistical package for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were carried to examine the association between independent and dependent variables. Adjusted odds ratio at a p-value<0.05 with 95% CI was declared statistically significant.Results: The overall prevalence of suicidal behaviors was found to be 23.2%. Age group between 25-34 years (AOR=2.47,95% CI: 1.307,4. 655), being unemployed (AOR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.175,3.849), current comorbid depression (AOR=2.13, 95%CI: 1.203,3.762), current poor level of social support (AOR=2.95, 95% CI:1.107,7.882) and history of previous incarceration (AOR=3.04, 95% CI: 1.247,7.418), were associated with suicidal behavior among prisoners in Jimma town correctional institution.Conclusion and recommendations: In this study suicidal behavior was found to be high among prisoners. Therefore attention should be given to prisoners through prison health services in early screening and treatment particularly for those who are on younger age group, unemployed, prisoners with co morbid depressive disorders, having poor social support and previous incarceration.