Patterns of Skin Disease among Prisoners in Central Prison in Nepal: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Skin diseases pose a significant health challenge globally, especially within prison settings where overcrowding and inadequate sanitation create a breeding ground for infections. Prisons, as part of society, exist in a dynamic equilibrium, serving as potential sources of infections that can spread beyond their confines. Despite facing similar challenges, there is a dearth of research focusing on skin diseases among inmates in Nepal. This study aims to assess patterns of skin diseases among prisoners.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study at the central prison, Kathmandu from December 2023 to March 2024. All patients with skin disease visiting the consultant Dermatologist and giving consent were included in this study. Ethical approval was obtained from the Nepal Health Research Council. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel 2010 and analysis was done by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Data were presented in the form of frequency and percentage.Results: A total of 253 patients visited the consultant Dermatologist for skin conditions. Out of which, eczema was 67 (26.50%), fungal infections 57 (22.50%), and bacterial infections 51 (20.10%). The mean age of the respondents was 34.21±12 years.Conclusions: The fungal and bacterial infections were common among the prisoners.