THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN PRISON: RESULTS OF A NATIONWIDE SURVEY AND REPORT Common Disease Reported by Prisoners (Q: 1652) 3.17 The survey revealed that the most common health problem reported by prisoners was scabies; 23 per cent (1280). Other diseases reported were: i. High blood pressure (7 per cent, 378 prisoners) ii. Diabetes mellitus (3 per cent, 140 prisoners) iii. Heart diseases (2 per cent, 110 prisoners) iv. Kidney problems (3 per cent, 160 prisoners) v. Tuberculosis (3 per cent, 148 prisoners) vi. HIV (3 per cent, 170 prisoners) vii. Asthma (9 per cent, 492 prisoners) viii. Hepatitis type B or C (3 per cent, 175 prisoners) ix. Sexually transmitted illnesses (0.5 per cent, 30 prisoners) x. Head or body lice (1.5 per cent, 80 prisoners) xi. Vector-transmitted illnesses (0.4 per cent, 24 prisoners) xii. Substance use disorders (4 per cent, 206 prisoners) 3.18 31 per cent (1,443) reported having contracted certain disease prior to prison admission, while another 31 per cent (1,437) were of the view that their diseases were contracted during imprisonment (See Table 753). Table 7: When did the Prisoners Contact with the Disease Remand convicted Before imprisonment 247 (29%) 1196 (32%) 1443 (31%) In Prison Not Sure 266 (31%) 311 (36%) 1171 (31%) 1276 (34%) 1437 (31%) 1587 (35%) Others 30 (4%) 113 (3%) 143 (3%) 854 (100%) 3756 (100%) - - Total No Response Total 4610 (100%) 869 (16% of the total 5479) Source: Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, 2014 In question 16, the respondents were allowed to answer a multiple choice question on whether they suffered from the list of diseases. 53 In question 17, the respondents were asked when they thought they contracted the diseases answered in question 16. The answer choices were “before imprisonment”, “in prison”, “not applicable” or “others”. 52 39