Absence of Adolescent Obesity in Grenada: Is This a Generational Effect?

Background: Low- and middle-income countries are affected disproportionately by the ongoing global obesity pandemic. Representing a middle income country, the high prevalence of obesity among Grenadian adults as compared to US adults is expected as part of global obesity trends. The objective of this study was to determine if Grenadian adolescents have a higher prevalence of overweight compared to their US counterparts, and if a disparity exists between urban and rural adolescents. Methods: Using a subcohort of participants in the Grenadian Nutrition Student Survey, diet quality and anthropometric measures were collected from 55% of the classrooms of first year secondary students in Grenada (n = 639). Rural or urban designations were given to each school. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated and categorized as overweight or obese for each student following CDC classification cutoffs. A standardized BMI (BMIz) was calculated for each school. Sex-specific BMI and overall BMIz were compared to a 1980s US cohort. Multilevel models, overall and stratified by sex, of students nested within schools were conducted to determine if BMIz differed by rural or urban locality, gender, and diet quality. Results: The mean age of this cohort was 12.7 (SD = 0.8) years with 83.8% of the cohort identifying as Afro-Caribbean. Females had nearly twice the prevalence of overweight when compared to males (22.7 vs. 12.2%) but a similar prevalence of obesity (8.2 vs. 6.8%). Grenadian adolescents had lower prevalence of overweight (females: 22.7 vs. 44.7%; males: 12.2 vs. 38.8%, respectively) as compared to US counterparts. Eating a traditional diet was negatively associated with BMIz score among females ( ß^ = -0.395; SE = 0.123) in a stratified, multilevel analysis. BMIz scores did not differ significantly by rural or urban school designation. Conclusions: Among Grenadian adolescents, this study identified a lower overweight prevalence compared to US counterparts and no difference in overweight prevalence by urban or rural location. We hypothesize that the late introduction of processed foods to Grenada protected this cohort from obesogenic promoters due to a lack of fetal overnutrition. However, further research in subsequent birth cohorts is needed to determine if adolescent obesity will increase due to a generational effect.

Needlestick injury prevention training among health care workers in the Caribbean

[ABSTRACT]. The rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among health care workers that is caused by sharps injuries is higher in the Caribbean and Latin America than in other regions of the world. To respond to and reduce occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens while also strengthening capacities in the Caribbean, needlestick injury prevention training programs for health care workers were implemented, beginning in 2011. The programs included lectures, workshops, policy reviews, evaluations of safety devices, and workplace assessment. During the training, baseline data from health care workers on their personal history of needlestick injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposure was collected. That baseline data showed that 40% of the participants had sustained sharps injuries during their professional career. In this capacity-building effort, 210 health care workers from five countries have been trained, six health care centers in the Caribbean have been evaluated. and occupational safety and health committees have been established in various countries to monitor and improve safety policies and practices.

[RESUMEN]. La tasa de infecciones por los virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), de la hepatitis B (VHB) y de la hepatitis C (VHC) en los trabajadores de atención de salud debidas a heridas por materiales punzocortantes es mayor en América Latina y el Caribe que en otras regiones del mundo. Con objeto de responder a las exposiciones laborales a los agentes patógenos de transmisión sanguínea y reducirlas, además de reforzar las capacidades en el Caribe, se instituyeron programas de capacitación para la prevención de las heridas por pinchazos accidentales en los trabajadores de salud a partir del 2011. Los programas comprendían conferencias, talleres, revisión de las políticas, análisis de los dispositivos de seguridad y evaluación de los lugares de trabajo. Durante la capacitación, se recopilaron datos iniciales suministrados por los trabajadores de atención de salud sobre sus antecedentes personales de heridas por pinchazos accidentales y exposición a agentes patógenos de transmisión sanguínea. Esos datos iniciales indicaron que 40% de los participantes habían sufrido alguna herida por materiales punzocortantes a lo largo de su carrera profesional. En esta iniciativa de formación de capacidades, se han capacitado 210 trabajadores de atención de salud de cinco países, se han evaluado seis centros de atención de salud en el Caribe y se han establecido comités de seguridad y salud ocupacional en diversos países para vigilar y mejorar las normas y prácticas de seguridad.

[RESUMO]. As taxas de infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), vírus da hepatite B (HBV) e vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em profissionais da saúde decorrentes de accidentes com materiais perfurocortantes são mais elevadas no Caribe e na América Latina que em outras regiões do mundo. Para combater e reduzir a exposição ocupacional a patógenos de transmissão sanguínea, igualmente reforçando as competências no Caribe, programas de capacitação em prevenção de acidentes com agulhas para profissionais da saúde foram implementados a partir de 2011. Os programas consistiram de palestras, seminários, análises de políticas, avaliações de dispositivos de segurança e avaliação dos locais de trabalho. Durante a capacitação, foram coletados dados de base dos profissionais da saúde relativos ao histórico pessoal de acidentes com agulhas e exposição a patógenos de transmissão sanguínea. Estes dados indicaram que 40% dos participantes haviam sofrido acidentes com materiais perfurocortantes durante a atividade profissional. Como parte desta iniciativa de capacitação, foi dado treinamento a 210 profissionais da saúde de cinco países, foram avaliados seis centros de saúde no Caribe e instituídos comitês de saúde e segurança ocupacional em diversos países para monitorar e melhorar as políticas e práticas de segurança.

Needlestick injury prevention training among health care workers in the Caribbean / Capacitación para la prevención de las heridas por pinchazos accidentales con agujas en trabajadores de salud en el Caribe / Capacitação em prevenção de acidentes com agulhas de profissionais da saúde no Caribe

ABSTRACT The rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among health care workers that is caused by sharps injuries is higher in the Caribbean and Latin America than in other regions of the world. To respond to and reduce occupational exposures to bloodborne pathogens while also strengthening capacities in the Caribbean, needlestick injury prevention training programs for health care workers were implemented, beginning in 2011. The programs included lectures, workshops, policy reviews, evaluations of safety devices, and workplace assessment. During the training, baseline data from health care workers on their personal history of needlestick injuries and bloodborne pathogen exposure was collected. That baseline data showed that 40% of the participants had sustained sharps injuries during their professional career. In this capacity-building effort, 210 health care workers from five countries have been trained, six health care centers in the Caribbean have been evaluated. and occupational safety and health committees have been established in various countries to monitor and improve safety policies and practices.

RESUMEN La tasa de infecciones por los virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), de la hepatitis B (VHB) y de la hepatitis C (VHC) en los trabajadores de atención de salud debidas a heridas por materiales punzocortantes es mayor en América Latina y el Caribe que en otras regiones del mundo. Con objeto de responder a las exposiciones laborales a los agentes patógenos de transmisión sanguínea y reducirlas, además de reforzar las capacidades en el Caribe, se instituyeron programas de capacitación para la prevención de las heridas por pinchazos accidentales en los trabajadores de salud a partir del 2011. Los programas comprendían conferencias, talleres, revisión de las políticas, análisis de los dispositivos de seguridad y evaluación de los lugares de trabajo. Durante la capacitación, se recopilaron datos iniciales suministrados por los trabajadores de atención de salud sobre sus antecedentes personales de heridas por pinchazos accidentales y exposición a agentes patógenos de transmisión sanguínea. Esos datos iniciales indicaron que 40% de los participantes habían sufrido alguna herida por materiales punzocortantes a lo largo de su carrera profesional. En esta iniciativa de formación de capacidades, se han capacitado 210 trabajadores de atención de salud de cinco países, se han evaluado seis centros de atención de salud en el Caribe y se han establecido comités de seguridad y salud ocupacional en diversos países para vigilar y mejorar las normas y prácticas de seguridad.

RESUMO As taxas de infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV), vírus da hepatite B (HBV) e vírus da hepatite C (HCV) em profissionais da saúde decorrentes de acidentes com materiais perfurocortantes são mais elevadas no Caribe e na América Latina que em outras regiões do mundo. Para combater e reduzir a exposição ocupacional a patógenos de transmissão sanguínea, igualmente reforçando as competências no Caribe, programas de capacitação em prevenção de acidentes com agulhas para profissionais da saúde foram implementados a partir de 2011. Os programas consistiram de palestras, seminários, análises de políticas, avaliações de dispositivos de segurança e avaliação dos locais de trabalho. Durante a capacitação, foram coletados dados de base dos profissionais da saúde relativos ao histórico pessoal de acidentes com agulhas e exposição a patógenos de transmissão sanguínea. Estes dados indicaram que 40% dos participantes haviam sofrido acidentes com materiais perfurocortantes durante a atividade profissional. Como parte desta iniciativa de capacitação, foi dado treinamento a 210 profissionais da saúde de cinco países, foram avaliados seis centros de saúde no Caribe e instituídos comitês de saúde e segurança ocupacional em diversos países para monitorar e melhorar as políticas e práticas de segurança.