Predisposing factors of tuberculosis in liberty-deprived: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: The prison environment provides a predisposition for several diseases, such as tuberculosis. The risk of getting infected is increased by 28 times within prisons. Objective: To integrate the causative factors of tuberculosis in liberty-deprived individuals reported in both national and international literature. Materials and Methods: A literature review was performed to identify published studies from April to June 2017. Published studies were identified using an initial search of the LILACS, MEDLINE, and PUBMED database. Results: The literature search resulted in the identification of 12 studies. The results showed that injecting drug use, incarceration time, cell sharing with other inmates, and HIV/TB coinfection were the main factors related to tuberculosis in prison population. In addition, pulmonary tuberculosis was the main finding within the prison environment, followed by latent tuberculosis infection. Conclusion: Tuberculosis control is an urgent need in society. The development of programs to control it, as well as the establishment of effective health services that deliver integral health care, prevention and promotion of health care. Furthermore, the rehabilitation of prisoners’ health constitutes a compelling need in the prisoner context.