Authors

Sana Chaer-Yemlahi Serroukh

Position

Máster en Promoción de la Salud. Centro Penitenciario Puig de las Basses. Figueras, Gerona (España)

Contact address

Sana Chaer-Yemlahi Serroukh. C/ Josep Pous i Pagès, 6. 17600 Figueras, Gerona (España)

Contact email: sana_chaer@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to describe the health status of the inmate population regarding infectious or contagious diseases, toxic habits, and use of psychotropic drugs at the Puig de las Basses Correctional Facility (CF) in Gerona, Spain.

Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study. All persons living in the CF were included (N= 761). Through exploitation of clinical records, there was collection of sociodemographic variables (gender, age, nationality) and health status variables (HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis, substance use: alcohol, smoking, other drug addictions; methadone maintenance programme; prescribed psychiatric treatments). Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were conducted according to gender.

Results: out of the 761 persons included, 93.8% were male, and 97.3% were >21 years old. A 3.4% prevalence was found for HIV, 4.7% for hepatitis C, 1.6% for hepatitis B, and 1.7% for tuberculosis. The drugs most used were cannabis (39.6%) and cocaine (37.5%); 14.5% drank alcohol and 76.1% were smoking. The rate of use was higher in men than in women for all substances. Anxiolytics or hypnotic drugs were used by 35.5% of participants, while 24.4% took antipsychotics and 21% were on antidepressants. There was a higher proportion of women than men on antidepressant treatment and also without treatment.

Conclusions: the most common infectious or contagious disease was Hepatitis C. There was a higher use of psychotropic drugs and a lower use of substances than in other studies in similar populations. There is a particular opportunity for intervention in this population in order to control diseases and promote health.

Keywords:

Prisoners; infectious diseases; human viral hepatitis; drug users; central nervous system drugs; Mental Health; cross-sectional studies

Versión en Español

Título:

Consumo de sustancias, tratamiento con psicofármacos y patología infecciosa en personas reclusas del centro penitenciario Puig de las Basses