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Review
. 2015;11(11):2615-26.
doi: 10.1080/21645515.2015.1051269. Epub 2015 Jul 9.

Vaccinations in prisons: A shot in the arm for community health

Víctor-Guillermo Sequera  1 , Salomé Valencia  1 , Alberto L García-Basteiro  2   3 , Andrés Marco  4 , José M Bayas  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Vaccinations in prisons: A shot in the arm for community health

Víctor-Guillermo Sequera et al. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2015.

Abstract

From the first day of imprisonment, prisoners are exposed to and expose other prisoners to various communicable diseases, many of which are vaccine-preventable. The risk of acquiring these diseases during the prison sentence exceeds that of the general population. This excess risk may be explained by various causes; some due to the structural and logistical problems of prisons and others to habitual or acquired behaviors during imprisonment. Prison is, for many inmates, an opportunity to access health care, and is therefore an ideal opportunity to update adult vaccination schedules. The traditional idea that prisons are intended to ensure public safety should be complemented by the contribution they can make in improving community health, providing a more comprehensive vision of safety that includes public health.

Keywords: communicable diseases; disease prevention; health promotion; prisons; vaccination.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Comparison of US estimates of lifetime prevalence (%) of viral hepatitis risk factors and seroprevalence of hepatitis A, B and C virus exposure in inmates vs. the overall population 2009. HBc IgG, IgG antibody to hepatitis B core antigen; HCV Ab, antibody to hepatitis C Total virus. HAV IgG, IgG antibody to hepatitis A. MSM, men who have sex with men. Figure modified from “Viral hepatitis in incarcerated adults: a medical and public health concern;” by Hunt, DR & Saab S.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Transmission of communicable diseases inside and beyond prisons. Figure modified from Guidelines for the Control of Tuberculosis in Prisons, WHO 1998.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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