[Infectious disease and sociodemographic characteristics of foreign immigrants in the Central Penitentiary for Men in Barcelona].
BACKGROUND
Immigration from socioeconomically under-developed countries is relatively recent in our country. Analyzing the impact of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis among these populations is of particular interest with regard to public health.


METHODS
Case study and tests conducted at the Male Prison Facility in Barcelona from January 1, 1996 to September 30, 1996, the cases being the foreign immigrants from socioeconomically underdeveloped countries, and the checks of the native prisoners paired by age (+/- 5 years). A description is provided of the epidemiological and sociodemographic characteristics of the immigrants, and a comparison is drawn between the two populations.


RESULTS
450 prisoners, 300 native and 150 immigrants. Sixty-three percent (63%) of the immigrants were from the Maghreb, 72% being in this country illegally, 55% having resided in our country for over 5 years and 53% not living with any family members. The immigrants used less injected drugs that the native prisoners (OR: 0.2; IC95% 0.09-0.41), had less HIV infection (OR: 0.2; IC95% 0.05-0.49) and lived to a lesser extent with family (OR: 0.2; IC95% 1.011-0.36). No differences were found to exist with regard to infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis nor tubercular disease. The legal immigrants were older (OR: 1.07; IC95% 1.01-1.13) lived to a greater extent with family (OR: 2.7; IC95% 1.23-5.80) and drank more alcohol (OR: 1.7; IC95% 1.07-2.59) than the illegal residents.


CONCLUSIONS
The native prisoners had HIV to a greater extent than the immigrants, the use of injected drugs, more common among the natives, bearing an influence on this aspect. As regards the immigrants, the high degree of illegal residence and the absence of a stable core family comprise indicators of a situation of being socially disadvantaged.
García Vidal
J
J
Centro Penitenciario de Hombres Barcelona, Departamento de Justícia-Generalitat de Catalunya. jjansa@imsb.bcn.es
López del Vallado
J M
JM
García de Olalla Rizo
P
P
Barnés Vayés
I
I
Caylá Buqueras
J A
JA
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology