Immunization Coverage of Inmates in Spanish Prisons

Nancy Vicente-Alcalde, Jose Tuells, Cecilia M. Egoavil, Esther Ruescas-Escolano, Cesare Altavilla and Pablo Caballero
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Nancy Vicente-Alcalde: Penitentiary Center Alicante II, General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions, 03400 Villena, Spain
Jose Tuells: Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and History of Science, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain
Cecilia M. Egoavil: General University Hospital of Alicante, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, 03690 Alicante, Spain
Esther Ruescas-Escolano: Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario del Vinalopó-Elche, 03293 Elche, Spain
Cesare Altavilla: Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and History of Science, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain
Pablo Caballero: Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and History of Science, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: The correct immunization of the inmate population minimizes the risk of transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases in prisons. The objective of this study was to evaluate the vaccine coverage of long-term prisoners in the Spanish penitentiary system through a retrospective longitudinal study. One-thousand and five prisoners were selected, who were imprisoned from 2008 and 2018 in three Spanish prisons. Their degree of immunization was evaluated as related to hepatitis A (HAV), hepatitis B (HBV), tetanus, diphtheria, pneumococcus and seasonal flu. The state of vaccination of the prisoners with a serological diagnosis of HBV, hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was also evaluated. The vaccination coverage obtained for hepatitis B was 52.3%, and for tetanus–diphtheria, it was 71.9%. However, for hepatitis A and pneumococcus infection, it was insignificant (<2% of the prisoners). Vaccination against seasonal flu was lower than 16%. The HCV and HIV-positive inmates were not correctly vaccinated either. The insufficient level of immunization obtained reflects the lack of interest and marginalization of this population by the penitentiary system and the health authorities. The lack of reliable records is combined with the lack of planned strategies that promote stable and well-defined programs of active vaccination.

Keywords: immunization coverage; prisoners; hepatitis A; hepatitis B; tetanus; diphtheria pneumococcus; seasonal influenza (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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