TB Risk and People Who Live or Work in Correctional Facilities

Key points

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious health threat, especially for people who live or work in correctional facilities.
• Correctional facilities are places with increased risk for TB because of several factors.
• Correctional facility staff should work with TB programs to help prevent the spread of TB.

Overview

TB is a challenging disease to identify, treat, and control, especially in settings like correctional facilities (e.g., prisons or jails) where people live and work close to each other.

Active TB disease in correctional facilities is a public health concern.‎

In 2023, 324 (3.6% of all U.S. TB cases) persons 15 years of age or older with TB disease were residents of a correctional facility at the time of TB diagnosis.

People have a higher risk of being exposed to TB germs who:

• Live or used to live in large group settings where TB is more common, such as correctional facilities
• Work in places where TB is more likely to spread, such as correctional facilities

Keep Reading:Exposure to Tuberculosis

TB germs are more likely to spread in correctional facilities due to several factors, including:

• People who may have increased risk for TB due to other health conditions,
• Environment of the facilities such as people living in close proximity, poor air flow, shared airspaces, and overcrowding, and
• Movement of people between facilities.

Correctional facility staff or other service providers can contact their local or state TB program for information about TB prevention and control. Correctional facilities should develop plans to identify and treat TB disease to prevent TB outbreaks.

Definition of correctional health

Correctional health encompasses all aspects of health and well-being for adults and juveniles who are justice system

A person who is 'justice system

Persons who are justice system

People with inactive TB do not feel sick, do not have symptoms, and cannot spread TB germs to others. Without treatment, people with inactive TB can develop active TB disease at any time and become sick. Active TB disease can spread to others and be deadly. Preventing, finding and treating active TB disease early is important to stop the spread of TB germs and keep people who live or work in correctional facilities safe.

Conditions that can increase risk

People who live or work in correctional facilities and have certain medical conditions may be at higher risk of developing active TB disease once they are infected with TB germs.

Some people in prison or jail are more likely to use substances, such as drugs and alcohol

Some people have a weaker immune system because of certain medications or health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or HIV. A weakened immune system increases a person's risk for developing active TB disease once infected with TB germs.

Keep Reading:Tuberculosis Risk Factors

Places with increased risk

Correctional facilities are places with increased risk for TB because of the environment of the facilities.

Correctional facilities:

• Are places where people live in close physical proximity,
• May have poor air flow and shared airspaces, and
• May be overcrowded.

These characteristics can make it more likely for some diseases, including active TB disease, to spread.

Keep Reading:Tuberculosis: Causes and How It Spreads

Movement between facilities

Moving people into and out of facilities that may be overcrowded and have poor air flow increase the risk for the spread of active TB disease

Moving people from one facility to another also makes it challenging for people with inactive TB or active TB disease to complete treatment

Correctional facilities should coordinate with other correctional facilities and health departments to help people continue and complete their treatment for inactive TB or active TB disease even if they are moved to a different facility or reenter their community

Prevention and control

Effective TB prevention and control measures are important to protect people who live or work in correctional facilities and the community. These measures include:

• Implementing a TB screening program,
• Treating people for inactive TB and active TB disease, and
• Conducting a thorough and efficient contact investigation when a case of active TB disease is diagnosed.

Correctional facilities should work closely with local or state TB programs and other partners to implement TB prevention and control measures.

Resources

Questions and Answers About Tuberculosis Booklet

Questions and Answers About TB has information on inactive TB and TB disease.

Download

Download

Think. Test. Treat TB

Think. Test. Treat TB aims to increase awareness and understanding about inactive tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis Data

CDC publishes data on a variety of tuberculosis (TB) topics to track progress towards elimination.

December 9, 2024

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