Systematic review of the tuberculosis burden in prisons: Regional patterns and gaps in Latin America and the Caribbean.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To systematically review and synthesize the available literature on the prevalence and incidence of tuberculosis in incarcerated populations in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifying regional patterns, data gaps, and key challenges and providing recommendations for strengthening TB control strategies within prison settings.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted across databases and reports using the following search terms: "tuberculosis", "prisons", "prisoners", "Latin America", "Caribbean", "inmates", and "social readaptation center". The review focused on prevalence rates, country-specific studies, total prison population studied by country, diagnostic methods used, and the frequency of TB reporting.

Results

A total of 45 studies met the inclusio

SUBMITTER: Perea-Jacobo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12856861 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature