Autor(es): Valentim, Janaína ; Oliveira, Eloiza da ; Valentim, Ricardo ; Dias-Trindade, Sara ; Dias, Aline de Pinho ; Oliveira, Aliete Cristina Gomes Dias Pedrosa da Cunha ; Barbalho, Ingridy ; Fernandes, Felipe ; Silva, Rodrigo Dantas da ; Romão, Manoel Honorio ; Teixeira, César ; Henriques, Jorge
Data: 2021
Origem: Repositório Científico da Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra
Assunto(s): Health care; Virtual Learning Environment; Data Report
The Brazilian prison system has a history of shortcomings related to lack of investments and infrastructure, leading to severe consequences for the entire prison population, such as problems related to fundamental guarantees of human rights, the lack of health care, and the rise in criminality rates (1-3). With almost the third-largest prison population (4), Brazil accumulates critical issues such as overcrowding, high internal violence indexes, and disease spread (5-7). Data from January to June 2019, from the National Survey of the Penitentiary Information System (Infopen)—Brazil's system of statistical information regarding correctional facilities, published by the National Penitentiary Department (8)—pointed out that the Brazilian prison population was 752,277. Thus, 31,742 people had some condition, 8,523 were HIV-positive, 6,920 had syphilis, 9,113 had tuberculosis, and 7,186 had other diseases. We present a set of factors that characterize the population deprived of liberty as a vulnerable group to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) (9). Among those that most affect this highly invisible population, Syphilis, HIV, and Tuberculosis are most prominent due to their fast spread and the challenges for diagnosing and accessing treatment (10-12). Yet, in this discouraging spectrum, hope still lingers. It is represented by public policies that genuinely serve such a population and human education aiming to develop its potential fully, including individuals who permeate the prison system in its totality, both those deprived of their liberty and professionals who work there.
