Strategies for coping with COVID-19 in prisons: a scoping review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The poor health of prisoners in penitentiaries demonstrates a very favorable condition for the spread of the virus. Objective: To revise in the scientific literature the actions carried out by health professionals in prison units to face COVID-19. Method: Scoping review, guided by the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and structured from the acronym Population, Concept, and Context. The searches were carried out in 11 databases, with the inclusion criteria being studies in English, Portuguese, and Spanish; publications in 2019/2020 and available in full. For the selection of studies, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews flowchart was used. A total of 1,624 studies were found, of which 13 were eligible for the review. Results: From the analysis of the studies, two categories emerged the first, diagnosis/control, which presented as proposed strategies isolation, screening, improvement of basic sanitation, education, social distancing, use of personal protective equipment, reinforcement of ventilation measures and the use of remote connection; and, the second, treatment that encompassed screening, support, and medicalization of the relevant symptoms of the pathology linked to emotional assistance. Conclusion: the analyses carried out indicate the need to develop a standard operating procedure that systematizes assistance, including prevention, diagnosis/control, and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 within the penitentiary system, briefly presenting priority actions to be carried out, emergencies needed and the flow in the services of the care network of the health systems.