Prevalence and Determinants of Scabies Infection among Male Inmates at Kiambu Main Prison, Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Cross-Sectional Study

Résumé

Abstract Background Scabies remains a major neglected tropical disease in correctional facilities due to overcrowding and limited hygiene resources. However, evidence regarding the determinants of scabies infection among inmates in Kenyan prisons remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of scabies infection among male inmates at Kiambu Main Prison, Kiambu County, Kenya. Methodology A mixed-methods analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 188 male inmates recruited using a ward-stratified pragmatic sampling approach between May and June, 2026. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires and clinical examinations based on the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) diagnostic criteria. Qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results The prevalence of scabies was 54.8%, with a weighted prevalence of 54.0% (95% CI: 46.5– 61.6%). Daily bathing (AOR = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.31), bathing 2-3 times per week (AOR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01–0.44), and daily clothes washing (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.06–0.65) were independently associated with lower odds of scabies infection. Remandees had higher odds of infection than convicted prisoners (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.00–3.91). Qualitative findings identified overcrowding, inadequate hygiene resources, limited health education, medication shortage, and delays in treatment as key contributors to scabies transmission. Conclusion Scabies remains highly prevalent among inmates at Kiambu Main Prison. Both individual hygiene practices and institutional conditions contribute to disease transmission. Strengthening prison health services through routine screening, structured health education, improved access to hygiene resources, and timely diagnosis and treatment may help reduce transmission. These findings provide evidence to inform prison health policies and targeted scabies control programmes in Kenya and other resource-limited correctional settings. Author Summary Scabies is a highly contagious neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects people living in overcrowded settings with limited access to water, sanitation, and healthcare, including prisons. Although incarcerated populations are particularly vulnerable to scabies transmission, little is known about the factors that contribute to its spread in Kenyan correctional facilities. We investigated the prevalence of scabies among male inmates at Kiambu Main Prison and explored the individual and institutional determinants of infection using questionnaires, clinical examinations, group discussions, and interviews with prison staff. More than half of the participants were found to have scabies. Regular bathing and daily washing of clothes were associated with a lower likelihood of scabies infection, while remandees were at greater risk than convicted prisoners. Inmates and prison staff also identified overcrowding, shortages of hygiene supplies and medicines, limited health education, and delays in diagnosis and treatment contributed to continued transmission. Our findings highlight practical opportunities to reduce the burden of scabies through routine screening, improved hygiene resources, health education, and timely treatment in prisons.

Citer ce document

Accès au document

Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter

Auteur(s)

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0