How secured and safe is the sanitation and hygiene services in a maximum-security correctional facility in Southwest Nigeria: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Int J Environ Health Res. 2022 Oct;32(10):2200-2217. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1949438. Epub 2021 Jul 27.

Abstract

Poorly maintained living conditions and infrastructure are the banes of Nigerian prisons. The study investigated its environmental conditions and the prevalent diseases among inmates.The descriptive, cross-sectional study enrolled 420-inmates through a multistage sampling technique. Pre-tested instruments were administered and results presented with descriptive and logistic regression to identify predictors of toilet-cleaning and handwashing practices at P0.05.The mean(±SD) age and modal inmates/cell were 30±7.2 years and 36. Most inmates were males (97%), await-trial (79%) and lives in overcrowded cells (58%). Sixty-nine percent of free-cells has pour-flush toilets and 36% waits for 2-5 minutes before accessing toilets.Fifty-three percent of inmates clean latrines with water and soap, 71% burn solid waste while handwashing period-prevalence was 36%. Religion, toilet-cleaning, and education were predictors of handwashing while types of toilets and access predict toilet-cleaning behaviour. Malaria (81.1%) and scabies (7.3%) were endemic. The prison rehabilitation shall satisfy basic life needs and promote prisoners' health.

Keywords: Handwashing sequence; inmates; overcrowding; prison accommodation; prison sanitation.

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hygiene
  • Male
  • Nigeria / epidemiology
  • Prisons
  • Sanitation* / methods
  • Soaps*
  • Solid Waste
  • Water

Substances

  • Soaps
  • Solid Waste
  • Water