EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VIRAL HEPATITIS IN PRISONS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Significance. Viral hepatitis is one of the global public health issues, that claims the life of approximately 1.5 million people annually. Prisoners are at high risk of contracting viral hepatitis. Currently, there is no comprehensive picture of the viral hepatitis epidemic in the Russian penitentiary institutions. Purpose. To analyze the dynamics in the viral hepatitis epidemic among suspects, accused, and convicted individuals. Material and methods. Data from the forms of departmental statistical observations No. inf-12 and FSIN-6 for the period from 2014 to 2022 were analysed. Results. The incidence of viral hepatitis A in penitentiary institutions is lower than in the population. The incidence of viral hepatitis B and C shares a general downward trend, more pronounced for viral hepatitis B. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to case under-detection, subsequently resulting in a compensatory increase in the rate. In general, the proportion of acute forms of viral hepatitis B over a decade equaled to 2.5%, viral hepatitis C – to 0.9%. Comparing the median incidence of viral hepatitis in prisoners and in the population in 2015–2021 showed a fourfold prevalence of viral hepatitis B among prisoners; the incidence of viral hepatitis C was 96-fold higher than the population rate. The incidence of chronic viral hepatitis B and C in prison inmates equaled to 47.4 and 375.1 per 100,000 inmates, respectively, which was over the population rate. The prevalence of viral hepatitis B in 2020–2023 decreased from 1069.7 to 943.0 (from 1177.5 to 723.3in women), while the prevalence of viral hepatitis C increased from 11448.5 to 12874.4 (from 16935.2 to 18511.2 in women). There were no gender differences for viral hepatitis B, while the median prevalence of viral hepatitis C in women was 1.5-fold higher than in men. Conclusion. Viral hepatitis B and C pose a serious problem for the penitentiary healthcare. Suspects, accused and convicted individuals are the target group for vaccine prevention of viral hepatitis B, identification and treatment of viral hepatitis C, especially in women. Scope of application: penitentiary healthcare. Keywords: Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; prison; penitentiary healthcare