Para além das grades e punições: uma revisão sistemática sobre a saúde penitenciária

[Tuberculosis in the Brazilian prison system: scenarios via Joinpoint, from 2007 to 2019]

This study describes and compares tuberculosis (TB) data among persons deprived of liberty and the general Brazilian population, from 2007 to 2019, using the Joinpoint tool to observe changes in trends. This study focuses on women and older adults, for HIV testing, and on the number of detainees according to prison capacity. This is a retrospective, quantitative, and analytical study, which uses methods of regression of time series data from secondary data of unrestricted access collected from the Brazilian Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SINAN), Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), and from analytical reports made available by the Brazilian National Penitentiary Department (DEPEN). The results show a considerably higher increase in the prevalence of TB in persons deprived of liberty in all perspectives analyzed; increased HIV testing; and a debatable trend of stability in the number of detainees according to prison capacity. When analyzing trends in prevalence, services, and determinants, it is curious to see the temporal non-coincidence in most cases. Clearly, national policies against TB do not have the same effect within prisons and even the National Policy for Comprehensive Health Care for People Deprived of Liberty in the Prison System (PNAISP) showed restricted effects in view of the health situation herein analyzed. Despite working with secondary data of variable reliability, comparisons were reached that can impact health decisions and actions. Although lacking complete and definitive answers, it was possible to launch a new point-of-view on the evolution of questions for which reflection is essential.

Epidemiology of TB in prisoners: a metanalysis of the prevalence of active and latent TB

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) in prisons usually occurs at higher rates than in the general population, especially in developing countries. TB has been reported as the most common cause of death among prisoners. Studies have shown limitations for early detection of TB in prisons that seem to result from mistaken concepts about TB, delayed diagnosis mainly due to the naturalization of lack of healthcare for this population METHODS: A scoping review was performed using the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute to assess "What are the scientific evidences on the epidemiology of TB in the prison system?". Then, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the prevalence of TB (active and latent) TB in prisoners. The results are presented as prevalence, in percentage, through random effects models, with a confidence interval of 95%.

RESULTS

Regarding active TB, the results of the metanalysis showed that countries with a high burden of TB had a prevalence of 3.54% [2.71; 4.63], countries not considered to be high burden TB countries had a prevalence of 1.43% [0.86; 2.37]. Latent TB had a prevalence of 51.61% [39.46; 63.58] in high TB burden countries and a prevalence of 40.24% [23.51; 59.61] in countries with low TB burden. In terms of development, in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the prevalence of active TB was 3.13% [1.84; 5.29] and in high- and upper-middle income countries the prevalence was 2.25% [1.70; 2.99]. The prevalence of latent TB in high- and middle-income countries was 43.77% [28.61; 60.18] and of 49.42% [45.91; 52.94] in low and lower middle-income countries.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis suggests that TB, and probably other infectious diseases, find fertile ground in prisons where previous acquire social disadvantages seem to thrive-therefore, TB in prisons is a global public health problem and effective strategies are needed to control the disease are needed targeting the prison environment, including rapid health assessments to understand each context and to implement tailored and precision interventions.

A precarização do trabalho no contexto da atenção primária à saúde no sistema prisional

Resumo O artigo analisa como o fenômeno da precarização do trabalho se expressa no cotidiano de uma Equipe de Atenção Primária Prisional localizada na Região Sul do Brasil. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, exploratória, com aplicação da técnica de grupo focal e participação de dez profissionais de saúde. Os resultados evidenciaram a precarização do vínculo ocupacional decorrente da terceirização da força de trabalho, a insuficiência na gestão adequada dos processos de trabalho e a pouca oferta de ações para a qualificação profissional específica e coerentes com a realidade ocupacional.

Prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases in the prison system: a public health challenge

Abstract A descriptive, cross-sectional, and quantitative study was conducted in 2019 with 202 participants randomly selected from a male penitentiary, with the application of a questionnaire, clinical care, and laboratory tests to estimate the prevalence of risk factors and noncommunicable chronic diseases in people deprived of their liberty. Data analysis verified associations using Fisher’s Exact Test and Chi-square Test. The predominant sociodemographic profile of the participants consisted of less-educated single, black, over 30 males with high prison recidivism. Most were sedentary smokers with high alcohol and drug consumption before incarceration. We identified prevalence levels of hypertension (24.8%), dyslipidemia (54.5%), overweight (49.9%), metabolic syndrome (16.8%), and diabetes (2.5%). The difficulty in accessing health services associated with long sentences and the unhealthy environment favors the development and deterioration of chronic diseases and their risk factors, a challenge for the organization of prison health care. This setting reiterates the need to apply resources and efforts to implement comprehensive, longitudinal, and equitable care for people deprived of liberty.

Prevalência de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis no sistema prisional: um desafio para a saúde pública

Resumo Para estimar a prevalência de fatores de risco e doenças crônicas não transmissíveis em pessoas privadas de liberdade, foi realizado um estudo descritivo, transversal e quantitativo, com aplicação de questionário, atendimento clínico e exames laboratoriais. Foram sorteados 202 participantes de uma penitenciária masculina, em 2019. A análise dos dados verificou associações por meio do teste exato de Fisher e do teste qui-quadrado. O perfil sociodemográfico predominante dos participantes consistiu em solteiros, negros, maiores de 30 anos, de baixa escolaridade e alta reincidência penitenciária. A maioria era sedentária, tabagista, com alto consumo de álcool e drogas antes do encarceramento. Encontrou-se prevalência de 24,8% de hipertensão arterial, 54,5% de dislipidemia, 49,9% de excesso de peso, 16,8% de síndrome metabólica e 2,5% de diabetes. A dificuldade de acesso aos serviços de saúde associada às longas penas e ao ambiente insalubre propiciam o desenvolvimento e agravamento de doenças crônicas e seus fatores de risco, representando um desafio para a organização da atenção à saúde prisional. Esse cenário reitera a necessidade de aplicação de recursos e esforços para a efetivação do cuidado integral, longitudinal e equânime para as pessoas privadas de liberdade.

Work precarization in the prison system’s primary health care

Abstract This paper analyzes how work precariousness is expressed in the daily life of a Prison Primary Care Team in the Brazilian South. This qualitative, exploratory research applied the focus group technique and relied on the participation of ten health professionals. The results evidenced a substandard occupational relationship, objectified by the workforce’s outsourcing, the poor proper management of work processes, and little provision for specific professional qualifications and actions consistent with the occupational reality.

Seroprevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B virus exposure in the incarcerated population from southern Brazil

Hepatitis B viral infection (HBV) in prisons poses serious public health challenges because it significantly contributes to the increase in both morbidity and mortality indicators worldwide. Research has shown high HBV prevalence among inmates when compared to the general population. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of HBV exposure and its risk factors among 1,132 inmates detained in high security institutions. A cross-sectional, epidemiological study was carried out in 11 male-only prisons in the State of Paraná, Brazil, between May 2015 to December 2016. HBV exposure was explored using a variety of methods, including HBsAg, anti-HBs, and total anti-HBc. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The overall prevalence of HBV exposure was 11.9% (95% CI: 10.9-12.8), totaling 135 individuals. In the multivariate analyses, risk factors that remained statistically significant were related to the penitentiary location (Francisco Beltrão; OR = 5.59; 95% CI: 3.32-9.42), age (over 30 years; OR = 5.78; 95% CI: 3.58-9.34), undergoing tattooing procedures in prison (OR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.03-2.60), self-reported sexual activities with a known drug user (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.12-2.48) and having a history of previous history of hepatitis B or C infection (OR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.48-4.64). The findings indicate that public policies-including vaccination, early diagnosis, harm reduction strategies, and adequate treatment-should be designed and delivered in the same way for both the incarcerated and the general population in order to reduce the prevalence of HBV and its associated consequences.

Depressão em pessoas sob aprisionamento no sistema carcerário: revisão integrativa

Resumo Esta revisão integrativa objetivou reunir estudos sobre a depressão em pessoas sob aprisionamento no sistema carcerário. As bases de dados pesquisadas foram PePSIC, PsycINFO, SciELO e Web of Science. As ferramentas de suporte para a extração dos artigos selecionados foram o programa computacional StArt e as recomendações Prisma. Os termos usados na busca eletrônica foram “inmate”, “prison”, “prisoner”, “penitentiary” e “depression”. A amostra final foi composta por 10 estudos primários, os quais atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e à questão norteadora da revisão. Dentre os achados, a ocorrência de depressão foi evidente em todos os artigos selecionados, e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck foi o instrumento mais utilizado. Por fim, percebeu-se que a identificação precoce de sintomatologia depressiva pode minimizar prejuízos físicos e mentais na população em encarceramento.

Correlation between serology and nucleic acid amplification test in blood donors who are reactive for hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus and evaluation of the epidemiological profile of infected people in blood centers in the State of Paraná

OBJECTIVES

To compare the results of conventional serological tests and molecular technology (NAT, Nucleic Acid Amplification Test), identify donors in the diagnostic window period, and determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among the samples of blood donors blocked by serological screening.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out by analyzing blood donor information contained in the database of 20 blood centers in Paraná, from January 2018 to December 2019.

RESULTS

A total of 1,496 blood bags were reactive for HBV, HCV, or HIV in serological and/or NAT tests. The 20th Regional Health (RH) Unit had the greatest number of unfit individuals with altered screening for the three infections, with a prevalence of 0.70%. The lowest number of blocked blood donors occurred in the 15th RH, with a prevalence of 0.08%. The highest prevalence of HBV occurred in the 8th RH, with a reagent serology of 0.34% and a positive NAT of 0.17%. For HCV, the prevalence for reagent serology was 0.28%, while that for NAT was 0.02%, which occurred in the 20th RH. For HIV and for NAT, the prevalence of blood donors with positive serology occurred in the 20th RH, at 0.25% and 0.04%, retrospectively. The 13th RH had the highest prevalence of HIV in relation to NAT, that is, conventional serology in concomitance with NAT technology, at 0.07%. During the 2-year period, only 1 reactive donor in the 9th was found for NAT (HBV), in a diagnostic window.

CONCLUSION

In Paraná's blood centers, the inability to donate due to HBV, HCV, and HIV, occurred mainly in initial donors, men, those with >8 years of education, aged 16-45 years, married, and O positive. The most affected regions were located in the west and northwest of Paraná. Most of the results showed a discrepancy between the methodologies used.

Mulheres detentas do Recife-PE: saúde e qualidade de vida

RESUMO Objetivos Identificar o perfil social, hábitos de vida e morbidades referidas, de mulheres detentas; identificar a Qualidade de Vida-QV dessas mulheres e associá-la às variáveis perfil social, hábitos de vida e morbidades referidas. Método Pesquisa transversal, correlacional, de campo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizada com 287 detentas, no período de 15 de outubro a 16 de novembro de 2018. Utilizou-se para avaliar a qualidade de vida o WHOQOL-Bref. Resultados A média dos escores da Qualidade de Vida Geral das detentas foi baixa (46), o domínio com maior média foi o Físico e o menor o Meio Ambiente. As morbidades mais referidas foram dor musculoesquelética (52,9%) e doenças respiratórias (25,4%). Houve associação entre a QV e a avaliação ruim / péssima da saúde, em todos os domínios e das morbidades referidas na maioria deles. Conclusões e Implicações para a prática As morbidades referidas, a avaliação negativa da saúde, alguns hábitos de vida e a estrutura da prisão interferiram na percepção da QV das detentas. Conhecer o perfil social e de saúde das mulheres e as situações vivenciadas no cárcere, pode contribuir para o planejamento de intervenções que possam minimizar os agravos à saúde e o impacto na qualidade de vida dessas mulheres.

Promoção da saúde para pessoas no regime semiaberto do sistema penitenciário: relato de experiência

RESUMO Relatou-se a experiência da profissional de enfermagem na execução de ações de promoção da saúde, por meio da atuação de uma equipe multiprofissional, para pessoas que cumprem o regime semiaberto em município do interior do Ceará. Estudo descritivo, do tipo relato de experiência, realizado a partir de relatórios mensais e com auxílio de um diário de campo. Acredita-se que, apesar da implantação de políticas públicas voltadas para a população privada de liberdade, ainda existe muita dificuldade em sua implementação. Observa-se um contexto ainda muito marcado por uma assistência em saúde precária e, em alguns casos, inexistente, além de estigma e preconceito com essa população. É importante instigar discussões sobre saúde no sistema penitenciário nos centros educacionais formadores de recursos humanos para o Sistema Único de Saúde, tendo em vista a apreensão de conhecimentos e o desenvolvimento de habilidades e competências, a fim de contribuir para a adequada atuação dos profissionais de enfermagem e demais trabalhadores da saúde nesse cenário.

Characteristics associated with anti-HCV serological markers in prisoners in the state of Paraná, Brazil: a case-control study

Background

The prison system in Paraná, Brazil, is experiencing serious problems related to the increasing number of prisoners. Control of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become more intense because the incarcerated population is considered a high-risk group for contagious diseases due to the favorable conditions found in prisons for the spread of these morbidities. The objective of this study was to identify features associated with hepatitis C infection among male prisoners in correctional institutions of Paraná state, Brazil.

Methods

This was a case-control study (27 cases and 54 controls) of men incarcerated in 11 penitentiaries in Paraná, Brazil. Information was obtained through a questionnaire in a cross-sectional epidemiological survey on HCV infection during the period from May 2015 to December 2016. Eligible men were recruited after testing positive for anti-HCV antibodies. Cases and controls were selected based on serological results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and were matched by age, location of the penitentiary, and time in prison. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for HCV seropositivity.

Results

The main significant independent risk factor for the acquisition of HCV infection was the use of injectable drugs (OR = 4.00; 95%CI:1.41–11.35; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that HCV infection is associated with drug use by this population. This information is pivotal for tailoring prevention programs and guiding specific socioeducational measures that aim to reduce or prevent HCV transmission within the prison setting.

Questionnaire to avoid transfers to healthcare: a Brazilian experience

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test whether training correctional facility (CF) officers in the admission process would identify risk factors for inmates' unscheduled transfers to healthcare units in the first 24 hours. Design/methodology/approach Correctional officers (COs) were trained to use a questionnaire with ten closed questions, which seeks to identify occupational or nosocomial risk, applied upon the admission of inmates to a CF. Findings There were 1,288 admissions in six CFs in Ribeirão Preto and Serra Azul/Brazil from March 2010 to May 2011. Of those admissions, 21.2 percent were in penitentiaries and 78.9 percent in provisional detention centers. Of the questionnaires applied, 580 answered affirmatively (45 percent) for one or more of the questions, with nearly 60 percent related to drug use in the last 12 hours, 37.7 percent use of medications while the most frequently mentioned diseases were respiratory diseases (37 percent) and mental disorders (19 percent).The number of positive responses per evaluation presented an odds ratio of 3.6 (CI 95% - 1.6, 10.5) for unscheduled transfers for external clinical evaluation. Research limitations/implications The lack of a control group and the fact that morbidities described by prisoners could not be confirmed are study limitations. The research does, however, still contribute to the goal of achieving appropriate medical care within CFs. Originality/value The training of COs to identify risk factors that predict the need for unplanned transfers to healthcare units was feasible. These findings have important implications for CFs that do not provide ongoing medical service, a universal reality in Brazil.

Emergence of a Policy, closure of a sector: regarding the management of penitentiary health care in Brazil

The aim of this study is to understand recent transformations in penitentiary health care management in Brazil, during the implementation of the National Policy for Comprehensive Health Care for People Deprived of Liberty in the Prison System, and the closure of the National Sector for Penitentiary Health Care. The scientific problem investigated is the language of penitentiary health care policy. The theoretical-methodological framework adopted is Pierre Bourdieu's genetic structuralism. In this manner, we carry out an analysis of documents and public statements in search of State categories and classifications. We note the consolidation of a state classification that separates the 'penitentiary' domain from the 'prison' domain, as well as the creation of the State category of 'person deprived of liberty in the prison system'. Penitentiary health care management constitutes itself as a question of primary care.

Saúde Penitenciária, Promoção de Saúde e Redução de Danos do Encarceramento: Desafios para a Prática do Psicólogo no Sistema Prisional

Resumo Este trabalho visa discutir o papel do psicólogo na garantia do direito à saúde no âmbito do sistema prisional. O trabalho do psicólogo em prisões ainda se encontra atrelado à realização dos exames criminológicos, que afasta grande parte dos profissionais de atuações mais inventivas e voltadas à garantia de direitos. Por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, indicaremos alguns dos principais desafios no campo da saúde penitenciária, que, nas recentes pesquisas qualitativas, apontam também para a percepção dos problemas e as estratégias no enfrentamento às graves condições de insalubridade. Consideramos que a Psicologia pode contribuir para a intersetorialidade entre os campos da execução penal e do direito à saúde. Ainda que a questão da saúde penitenciária seja enormemente prejudicada pelo superencarceramento e pelas péssimas condições do sistema prisional brasileiro, os profissionais da Psicologia – aliados aos demais técnicos e funcionários do sistema penal – podem ter um importante papel para a redução dos danos dos efeitos do encarceramento, desde que sua prática seja contextualizada e comprometida com a garantia dos direitos humanos.

AIDS and jail: social representations of women in freedom deprivation situations

OBJECTIVE

To graspthe AIDS social representations built by freedom-deprived women.

METHOD

Descriptive study with a quali-quantitative approach that involved 174 convicted women in a women's prison in a capital city of the Brazilian northeastern region. Aword-association test was applied in October and November 2014, using AIDS as a stimulus. The corpuswas processed usingIramuteq software. Descending Hierarchical Classification and Correspondence Factor Analysis were applied.

RESULTS

The content that comprises the social representation of AIDS was influenced by the prison context, which was pervaded by a lack of assistance, lack of knowledge, discrimination, and suffering that disclosed vulnerability to HIV/AIDS factors such as unprotected sex and object sharing. This underlines the stigma and fear of the illness, in addition to favoring and supporting negative feelings and a sense of rejection.

CONCLUSION

To consider the use of this representational amalgam to ensure a comprehensive, contextualized care can help redirect practices, motivate self-care practices, and reduce prejudiced attitudes.

OBJETIVO

Apreenderas representações sociais sobre a aids construídas por mulheres privadas de liberdade.

MÉTODO

Estudo descritivo, com abordagem quali-quantitativa que envolveu 174 apenadas de Presídio Feminino situado em capital do nordeste brasileiro. Aplicou-se o Teste de Associação Livre de Palavras, em outubro e novembro de 2014, utilizando-se do estímulo aids. O corpus foi processado pelo software Iramuteq, sendo efetuadas a Classificação Hierárquica Descendente e Análise Fatorial de Correspondência.

RESULTADOS

Os conteúdos que compõem a representação social sobre aids são influenciados pelo contexto prisional, permeado dedesassistência, desconhecimento, discriminação e condições de sofrimento, revelando fatores de vulnerabilidade ao HIV/Aids como atividade sexual desprotegida e compartilhamento de objetos; reiterando o estigma e o temor à doença; e favorecendo e sustentando sentimentos negativos e de rejeição.

CONCLUSÃO:

Considerar este amálgama representacional na garantia de um cuidado integral e contextualizado pode contribuir para redirecionar práticas, motivar condutas de autocuidado e reduzir atitudes preconceituosas.

Prevalência de hepatite B e fatores associados em internos de sistema prisional

Resumo Objetivo Estimar a prevalência do marcador HBsAg em internos de sistema prisional brasileiro, correlacionando-a a fatores associados. Métodos Pesquisa epidemiológica, transversal, realizada nas unidades prisionais com regime fechado ou semiaberto (n=12), totalizando 2.131 internos participantes. A coleta de dados ocorreu por meio da realização de entrevista, seguida de testagem rápida para Hepatite B (HBsAg). Foram realizadas análises descritivas simples, bivariadas e multivariadas, utilizando-se a Regressão Logística com o valor de p fixado em 0,05. Resultados A prevalência de HBsAg positivo foi de 0,5%, com associação estatisticamente significativa com as variáveis “não gostar de utilizar preservativo” (ORa=3,63) e “não saber como prevenir infecções sexualmente transmissíveis” (ORa=5,02). Conclusão A prevalência estimada esteve igual ou menor que a encontrada na população geral do país e comprovou-se que existem fatores estatisticamente associados à prevalência de positividade do HBsAg na população estudada.

Análise da percepção de gestores sobre a gestão da política de saúde penitenciária em Mato Grosso, Brasil

A saúde da população privada de liberdade diferenciou-se em 2003 pela divulgação do Plano Nacional de Saúde no Sistema Penitenciário o qual, em 2014, foi instituído como Política Nacional de Atenção Integral à Saúde das Pessoas Privadas de Liberdade no Sistema Prisional. O estado de Mato Grosso habilitou-se ao Plano em 2004 e conta com equipes de saúde em seis unidades prisionais de regime fechado, com gestão compartilhada pelas secretarias estaduais de Saúde e de Justiça e Direitos Humanos. Este artigo analisa a percepção de gestores sobre a gestão da política de saúde no Sistema Prisional de Mato Grosso, enfocando suas características, os entraves e pontos positivos. Valoriza-se a subjetividade na tomada de decisão em que o gestor se vale de referências técnicas, políticas, institucionais, sociais, culturais e a percepção (perpassada pela experiência) que tem do tema e das intervenções. Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa, descritiva e exploratória que faz uso de entrevistas semiestruturadas com gestores das duas secretarias e consulta a documentos oficiais de livre acesso, tratados pela análise temática. A gestão das ações de saúde penitenciária encontra entraves, mas, também, avanços. Ressaltam-se as incongruências nos valores que regem o setor da justiça e o da saúde, em que questões jurídicas, de segurança e disciplina tensionam o direito à saúde e a superlotação não pode ser ignorada. O contexto prisional imprime peculiaridades à assistência que se refletem na gestão, pois ora empreendem-se adequações frente ao diferente mobilizando o princípio da equidade, ora o compromete colocando os gestores diante de dilemas entre o cuidado necessário e o possível.

Oral health, the perspective of the inmate and the context of vulnerability

AbstractIntroductionThe increase in prison populations is a phenomenon which is systematically rising throughout the world, leading to overcrowding of prisons, which has direct consequences on the health conditions of the individuals.ObjectiveTo explore the relationship among oral health, the life path and the perception of subjects in a vulnerability context.Material and methodThis is a qualitative study, developed with inmates in a State Penitentiary. To obtain and process the data, individual interviews and the Thematic Content Analysis technique were used.ResultThe interviewees showed limited perception of the process of oral health and disease fostered by the experiences of relatives and by knowledge acquired in the street or from the media. The life path in prison seemed to have little influence on this understanding. However, the prison experience influenced the oral condition of the inmates by facilitating access to dental service, oral hygiene materials and the improvement in their health knowledge and habits. The oral health results presented were, generally, in agreement with so-called common sense and with studies developed in socially similar populations.ConclusionThus, considering the limitations imposed by the way data were collected, in prison and in a vulnerability context; a non-harmful influence on the condition studied regarding the oral health of inmates is suggested.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus in Brazil's inmate population: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Brazil’s inmate population.

METHODS

Systematic review on hepatitis C virus infection in the inmate population. Brazilian studies published from January 1, 1989 to February 20, 2014 were evaluated. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using a scale of 0 to 8 points.

RESULTS

Eleven eligible studies were analyzed and provided data on hepatitis C virus infection among 4,375 inmates from seven states of Brazil, with a mean quality classification of 7.4. The overall hepatitis C virus prevalence among Brazilian inmates was 13.6% (ranging from 1.0% to 41.0%, depending on the study). The chances of inmates being seropositive for hepatitis C virus in the states of Minas Gerais (MG), Sergipe (SE), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Goiás (GO) and Espirito Santo (ES) were 84.0% (95%CI 0.06;0.45), 92.0% (95%CI 0.04;0.13), 88.0% (95%CI 0.09;0.18), 74.0% (95%CI 0.16;0.42), 84.0% (95%CI 0.08;0.31) and 89.0% (95%CI 0.01;0.05) respectively, lower than that observed in the Sao Paulo state (seroprevalence of 29.3%). The four studies conducted in the city of Sao Paulo revealed a lower prevalence in more recent studies compared to older ones.

CONCLUSIONS

The highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in Brazil’s inmate population was found in Sao Paulo, which may reflect the urban diversity of the country. Despite Brazilian studies having good methodological quality to evaluate the prevalence of the hepatitis C virus, they are scarce and lack data on risk factors associated with this infection, which could support decisions on prevention and implementation of public health policies for Brazilian prisons.

Living with tuberculosis in prison: the challenge to achieve cure

The objective of this study was to better understand the meaning, for the person deprived of freedom, of living in prison with tuberculosis and its treatment. The research was conducted using the phenomenological method of Martin Heidegger, applied to 22 interviews realized in five prisons located in the state of Pará, Brazil. The results and its hermeneutics made possible to understand that the person deprived of freedom understands their condition and transcends their facticity and difficulties to achieve the cure of the disease, living as beings of possibilities, revealing their authentic way of facing tuberculosis and its treatment in prison.

Dental caries experience and use of dental services among Brazilian prisoners

This ross-sectional study involving 127 male prisoners evaluates the use of dental services and dental caries among Brazilian inmates. Data were collected by interview and clinical examination. Sociodemographic and sentencing information as well as use of dental services, self-reported dental morbidity, self-perception, and oral health impacts were investigated. The mean DMFT index value was 19.72. Of the components, the decayed component showed the highest mean value (11.06 ± 5.37). Statistically significant association was found between DMFTs with values from 22 to 32 and oral health satisfaction (p = 0.002), difficulty speaking (p = 0.024), shame of talking (p = 0.004) and smiling (p < 0.001). Regarding the use of dental services, 80% had their last dental appointment less than one year ago, with most visits occurring in prison (80%), with restorative treatment (32%), followed by dental pain (26.4%), being the main reasons for such appointments. Most prisoners used dental services provided by the prison. Although restorative treatment has been the main reason for the use of dental services, “decayed” and “missing” components contributed to the high mean DMFT index.

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection in Brazil and associated factors: a review

The hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus share the same transmission routes, which makes co-infection an unfavorable condition for the natural history of both viral diseases. In this context, it should be highlighted that the knowledge of the extent of co-infection and associated risk factors is a vital tool for prevention and control over infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to review the literature, seeking to examine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection reported in studies conducted in Brazil, and identify the main risk factors associated with co-infection.

The electronic search was conducted in the Medline, Lilacs and SciELO databases. The following keywords were used: human immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis C or hepatitis C virus and Brazil. The search led to 376 articles, of which 69 were selected for data extraction. We excluded animal studies, reports or case series, review articles, letters to the editor, other types of hepatitis and those studies in which co-infected patients were intentionally selected for comparison to single infected individuals. As a result, 40 articles were reviewed. The majority of the population in these studies was male (71%) and young adults, with a mean age of 26.7 years. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus co-infection among individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus in the studies conducted in Brazil ranged from 3.3% (serum samples) to 82.4% (drug users), with an average of 20.3%. The findings reveal that the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection is highly variable, depending on the characteristics of the study population. Risk factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection were injection drug use and blood transfusion.