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Population-Based Surveillance for Cardiovascular Disease in the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Approaches

  • Race and Ethnic Disparities (M. Albert Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease (CVD), are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Caribbean. In response to this growing epidemic, regional and global organizations mandated the collection of real-time and accurate population health data to address surveillance health data gaps. The purpose of this review was to assess surveillance activities implemented in the Caribbean region from 2006 to 2016 and the availability of widely disseminated CVD surveillance data.

Recent Findings

A review of surveillance activities in the region in 2011 showed modest progress in compliance with NCD-related mandates. Our study found that few (12%) countries implemented surveillance surveys yearly and 39% implemented surveys two or more times during 2006–2016. Sixty-four percent of countries included in our review collected data on the six recommended CVD risk factors.

Summary

Future efforts to generate consistent and timely surveillance data may require collaborative approaches to implement, interpret, and translate surveillance data.

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Acknowledgements

This publication was made possible by the Yale CTSA grant UL1TR000142 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), NIH, Yale School of Medicine, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities through the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN)--U24MD006939.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale University School of Medicine, PO Box 209093, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA

    Carol Oladele, Terri-Ann Thompson, Elizabeth R. Zhang & Marcella Nunez-Smith

Authors
  1. Carol Oladele
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  2. Terri-Ann Thompson
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  3. Elizabeth R. Zhang
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  4. Marcella Nunez-Smith
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carol Oladele.

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Conflict of Interest

Drs Oladele, Thompson, Zhang, and Nunez-Smith declare that this publication was made possible by the Yale CTSA grant UL1TR000142 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), NIH, Yale School of Medicine, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities through the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN)--U24MD006939.

TBD have no conflicts of interests.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the author.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Race and Ethnic Disparities

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Oladele, C., Thompson, TA., Zhang, E.R. et al. Population-Based Surveillance for Cardiovascular Disease in the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Approaches. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 11, 4 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-017-0529-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-017-0529-6

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