Results of study on risk factors of infectious diseases in prisoners

Abstract

In our country, 5,000-7,000 people are convicted and imprisoned every year, which increases the risk of communicable diseases among prisoners due to population concentration and risky lifestyle. In this study, we examined the risk factors for some communicable diseases among inmates in our country. The study covered 800 inmates in 8 closed and open prisons operating in Mongolia. Average age of the study participants was 37.4±10.2. Hepatitis C infection increased with age and was highest in 51-60 year olds, while prevalence of syphilis was higher in young people under 20, tuberculosis in 21-30 year olds, and hepatitis B virus infection was more prevalent in 31-40 year olds. Frequency of previous incidents of imprisonment, previous surgery, drug use were risk factors for hepatitis C infection, alcohol use was the risk factor for hepatitis B infection, and getting tattoo was the risk factor for syphilis, while prison regimes, sentence, smoking, and mass confinement increased the risk of infection of tuberculosis although not acting as the direct risk factors.