ABSTRACT Background: Depression is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide and a significant cause of morbidity, mortality and disability. In Africa, lack of resources, trained health providers and social stigma associated with the illness has hindered effective care of afflicted individuals. Objectives: The study aimed at establishing prevalence rate of depression among psychiatric patients in KIU-TH and determine its association with socio-demographic factors. Methods: A descriptive retrospective study was undertaken to assess the period prevalence of depression among psychiatry patients who attended KIU-TH from 1st November 2013 to 1st November 2014. Hospital records were used to estimate the prevalence rate and a total of 96 files were used to retrieve patients’ socio-demographic information. A structured socio-demographic questionnaire was used to gather the required data. The collected data were analysed using SPSS version 15.0 and presented using tables, graphs and pie-charts in form of percentages. Results: The study established the period prevalence of depression as 6.7%.72% were females and about half the patients were aged between 21-30 and 31-40 (22.9% and 26% respectively). 68.8% patients were Christians while 29.2% were Muslims. Diverse tribes were affected with most patients being Banyankole (53.1%). Single (39.6%) and divorced (36.5%) patients were more affected than married (14.6%) and widowed (9.4%) patients. Majority of the patients were peasant farmers (54.2%) and unemployed individuals (26.04%) while professionally employed individuals and casual labourers comprised 9.4% and 7.3% respectively. 37.5% patients had attained secondary level as the highest educational level while 32.3% patients stopped at primary level, 17.7% attained tertiary education and 13.3% patients did not attend school. Conclusion: Findings showed higher prevalence rates of depression among females, individuals within the age group 31-40, single and divorced persons, farmers and the unemployed and individuals with lower education. Depression was prevalent in the various tribes and religion
