ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Consumption of fish yields many nutritional benefits, but also results in exposure to methylmercury (MeHg). The developing brain is known to be particularly susceptible to MeHg toxicity in high doses. However, the potential impact of low-level environmental exposure from fish consumption on children's neurodevelopment remains unclear. METHODS: We investigated postnatal MeHg exposure at 7 years and its association with a battery of 17 neurodevelopmental outcomes in a subset of children (n = 376) from 1535 enrolled mother-child pairs in Nutrition Cohort 2 of the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS NC2). Each outcome was modeled in relation to postnatal MeHg exposure using linear regression, adjusting for prenatal MeHg exposure, levels of maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and several other covariates known to be associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes. RESULTS: Median postnatal MeHg exposure at 7 years was 2.5 ppm, while the median prenatal MeHg exposure was 3.5 ppm. We found no statistically significant associations between postnatal MeHg exposure and any of the 17 neurodevelopmental outcomes after adjusting for prenatal MeHg exposure and other covariates. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous cross-sectional analyses of the SCDS Main Cohort. Continued follow-up of the entire NC2 cohort at later ages with repeated exposure measures is needed to further confirm these findings.
Subject(s)
Methylmercury Compounds , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Pregnancy , Female , Animals , Humans , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , Methylmercury Compounds/analysis , Child Development , Seychelles/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Cohort Studies , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/chemically induced , Food Contamination/analysis , Maternal Exposure/adverse effectsABSTRACT
Seychelles, an archipelago of 155 islands in the Indian Ocean, had confirmed 24,788 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the 31st of December 2021. The first SARS-CoV-2 cases in Seychelles were reported on the 14th of March 2020, but cases remained low until January 2021, when a surge was observed. Here, we investigated the potential drivers of the surge by genomic analysis of 1056 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples collected in Seychelles between 14 March 2020 and 31 December 2021. The Seychelles genomes were classified into 32 Pango lineages, 1042 of which fell within four variants of concern, i.e., Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron. Sporadic cases of SARS-CoV-2 detected in Seychelles in 2020 were mainly of lineage B.1 (lineage predominantly observed in Europe) but this lineage was rapidly replaced by Beta variant starting January 2021, and which was also subsequently replaced by the Delta variant in May 2021 that dominated till November 2021 when Omicron cases were identified. Using the ancestral state reconstruction approach, we estimated that at least 78 independent SARS-CoV-2 introduction events occurred in Seychelles during the study period. The majority of viral introductions into Seychelles occurred in 2021, despite substantial COVID-19 restrictions in place during this period. We conclude that the surge of SARS-CoV-2 cases in Seychelles in January 2021 was primarily due to the introduction of more transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants into the islands.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19/epidemiology , Genomics , Humans , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Methylmercury (MeHg) is a known neurodevelopmental toxicant in sufficient dosage and is universally found in fish. Current fish advisories for children are based on epidemiology studies examining prenatal exposure with a premise that MeHg exposure resulting from children eating fish could also be neurotoxic and have long-term consequences. However, the evidence that this assumption is true is limited. We investigated postnatal MeHg exposure from regular fish consumption using time weighted Hg measurements to determine if there are neurotoxic consequences. METHODS: We examined 85 neurodevelopmental outcomes measured from ages 9-24 years in the Seychelles Child Development Study Main Cohort (n = 312-550) and examined their association with time-weighted measures of postnatal MeHg exposure in childhood and early adulthood. Postnatal MeHg exposure measured in the first cm of participants' hair samples collected at seven evaluations were used to create two time-weighted (TW) average MeHg exposure metrics, one for childhood (TW-C) and the other for early adulthood (TW-A). TW-C was based on Hg measures at three ages between 6 months and 5.5 years, and TW-A was based on Hg measured at up to four ages between 17 and 24 years. We examined the association between each of these exposure metrics and the neurodevelopmental outcomes using linear regression with adjustment for covariates known to influence neurodevelopmental outcomes. RESULTS: There were 14 statistically significant associations between a postnatal metric and an endpoint. Six were associated with the TW-C and eight with the TW-A. Thirteen were adverse. Only the TW-C association at 9 years with the Bender Gestalt error score showed improvement. TW-C was adversely associated at 9 years with the Continuous Performance Task risk score, at 22 years with the Boston Naming Test (BNT) total and no cues scores, and at 24 years with the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) auditory response time variability and visual response time mean on the logarithmic scale. TW-A was adversely associated at 17 years with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test % total errors, the Woodcock-Johnson passage comprehension, and the CANTAB rapid visual information processing false alarms, and at 22 years with the BNT total and no cue scores, the CANTAB rapid visual information processing false alarms and the intra-extra dimensional shift total errors and trials. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that postnatal MeHg exposure may be adversely associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in early adulthood. However, the associations are statistical and of unknown, if any, clinical significance. The results need confirmation in other cohorts.
Subject(s)
Mercury , Methylmercury Compounds , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Animals , Child Development , Female , Fishes , Food Contamination , Humans , Mercury/analysis , Methylmercury Compounds/analysis , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/chemically induced , Seafood/adverse effects , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine if cesarean delivery is adversely associated with child neurodevelopment as measured at 20 months and 7 years. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study (n = 1328) in the Republic of Seychelles, we examined the association between mode of delivery and 22 measures of child neurodevelopment spanning multiple domains: cognition, executive and psychomotor function, language development, behavior, scholastic achievement, and social communication. Using multivariable linear regression, we evaluated the relationship between delivery mode (Cesarean/vaginal delivery) and each developmental outcome, while controlling for relevant covariates including child sex and age, maternal age, maternal IQ, whether both parents lived with the child, and Hollingshead socioeconomic status. RESULTS: At 20 months, children born via cesarean delivery had slightly higher scores (ß = 0.11, 95% confidence interval: 0.00, 0.21) on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised Positive Affectivity/Surgency subtest, a measure of infant temperament, as compared to vaginal delivery. Delivery mode was not associated with any of the 7-year developmental outcomes. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our study does not support the notion that cesarean delivery is associated with child neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Subject(s)
Cesarean Section , Child Development , Child , Delivery, Obstetric , Female , Humans , Infant , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
In recent years, there have been significant efforts to examine the organization and performance of health systems. This study's main purpose is to compare health systems and analyze the health status of the citizens of Comoros, Mauritius, and Seychelles, with the intention of providing policy recommendations for Comoros. Peer-reviewed studies and reports published by non-governmental organizations and international agencies were systematically collected through large database searches, filtered through methodological inclusion criteria, and organized into the World Health Organization (WHO) building blocks framework. The literature review demonstrates that health outcomes have dramatically improved over the past decades in Mauritius and Seychelles but not in Comoros. As of 2015, Mauritius and Seychelles were among the few African countries to have achieved almost all the Millennium Development Goals, whereas Comoros still struggles to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health. In contrast, the total health expenditure of the three island states, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), seemed similar over the studied time period.
Subject(s)
Delivery of Health Care , Child , Comoros , Humans , Indian Ocean , Islands , Mauritius , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Long-chain omega-3 PUFAs, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are of increasing interest because of their favorable effect on cardiometabolic risk. This study explores the association between omega 6 and 3 fatty acids intake and cardiometabolic risk in four African-origin populations spanning the epidemiological transition. Data are obtained from a cohort of 2500 adults aged 25-45 enrolled in the Modeling the Epidemiologic Transition Study (METS), from the US, Ghana, Jamaica, and the Seychelles. Dietary intake was measured using two 24 h recalls from the Nutrient Data System for Research (NDSR). The prevalence of cardiometabolic risk was analyzed by comparing the lowest and highest quartile of omega-3 (EPA+ DHA) consumption and by comparing participants who consumed a ratio of arachidonic acid (AA)/EPA + DHA ≤4:1 and >4:1. Data were analyzed using multiple variable logistic regression adjusted for age, gender, activity, calorie intake, alcohol intake, and smoking status. The lowest quartile of EPA + DHA intake is associated with cardiometabolic risk 2.16 (1.45, 3.2), inflammation 1.59 (1.17, 2.16), and obesity 2.06 (1.50, 2.82). Additionally, consuming an AA/EPA + DHA ratio of >4:1 is also associated with cardiometabolic risk 1.80 (1.24, 2.60), inflammation 1.47 (1.06, 2.03), and obesity 1.72 (1.25, 2.39). Our findings corroborate previous research supporting a beneficial role for monounsaturated fatty acids in reducing cardiometabolic risk.
Subject(s)
Black People , Cardiometabolic Risk Factors , Dietary Fats/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids, Omega-3/administration & dosage , Fatty Acids, Omega-6/administration & dosage , Adult , Dietary Fiber/administration & dosage , Docosahexaenoic Acids/administration & dosage , Eicosapentaenoic Acid/administration & dosage , Eicosapentaenoic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Female , Ghana/epidemiology , Humans , Inflammation/epidemiology , Jamaica/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Obesity/epidemiology , Prospective Studies , Seychelles/epidemiology , United States/epidemiologySubject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Immunization Programs , Internationality , Research Personnel , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Vaccinology , Adolescent , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aging/immunology , COVID-19/mortality , COVID-19/virology , COVID-19 Vaccines/administration & dosage , COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects , COVID-19 Vaccines/supply & distribution , Carrier State/immunology , Carrier State/prevention & control , Child , Disease Transmission, Infectious/prevention & control , Female , Healthcare Disparities/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Immunity, Herd/immunology , Immunization, Secondary , Middle Aged , Patient Safety , Qatar/epidemiology , Reinfection/immunology , Reinfection/prevention & control , Reinfection/virology , Research Personnel/education , Seychelles/epidemiology , South Africa/epidemiology , Time Factors , United Kingdom/epidemiology , United States/epidemiology , Vaccinology/education , Vaccinology/trends , Viral Load , Virus Shedding/immunology , World Health Organization/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Data on injury-related mortality are scarce in the African region. Mortality from external causes in the Seychelles was assessed, where all deaths are medically certified and the population is regularly enumerated. The four fields for underlying causes of death recorded were reviewed in the national vital statistics register. The age-standardised mortality rates were estimated (per 100,000 person-years) from external causes in 1989-1998, 1999-2008, and 2009-2018. Mortality rates per 100,000 person-years from external causes were 4-5 times higher among males than females, and decreased among males over the three 10-year periods (127.5, 101.4, 97.1) but not among females (26.9, 23.1, 26.9). The contribution of external causes to total mortality did not change markedly over time (males 11.6%, females 4.3% in 1989-2018). Apart from external deaths from undetermined causes (males 14.6, females 2.4) and "other unintentional injuries" (males 14.1, females 8.0), the leading external causes of death in 2009-2018 were drowning (25.9), road traffic injuries (18.0) and suicide (10.4) among males; and road traffic injuries (4.6), drowning (3.4) and poisoning (2.6) among females. Mortality from broad categories of external causes did not change consistently over time but rates of road traffic injuries increased among males. External causes contributed approximately 1 in 10 deaths among males and 1 in 20 among females, with no marked change in cause-specific rates over time, except for road traffic injuries. These findings emphasise the need for programs and policies in various sectors to address this large, but mostly avoidable health burden.
Subject(s)
Cause of Death/trends , Mortality/trends , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , History, 20th Century , History, 21st Century , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Mortality/history , Population Surveillance , Seychelles/epidemiology , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Wounds and Injuries/history , Wounds and Injuries/mortality , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the climate has played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak, we compared virus lethality in countries closer to the Equator with others. Lethality in European territories and in territories of some nations with a non-temperate climate was also compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lethality was calculated as the rate of deaths in a determinate moment from the outbreak of the pandemic out of the total of identified positives for COVID-19 in a given area/nation, based on the COVID-John Hopkins University website. Lethality of countries located within the 5th parallels North/South on 6 April and 6 May 2020, was compared with that of all the other countries. Lethality in the European areas of The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom was also compared to the territories of the same nations in areas with a non-temperate climate. RESULTS: A lower lethality rate of COVID-19 was found in Equatorial countries both on April 6 (OR=0.72 CI 95% 0.66-0.80) and on May 6 (OR=0.48, CI 95% 0.47-0.51), with a strengthening over time of the protective effect. A trend of higher risk in European vs. non-temperate areas was found on April 6, but a clear difference was evident one month later: France (OR=0.13, CI 95% 0.10-0.18), The Netherlands (OR=0.5, CI 95% 0.3-0.9) and the UK (OR=0.2, CI 95% 0.01-0.51). This result does not seem to be totally related to the differences in age distribution of different sites. CONCLUSIONS: The study does not seem to exclude that the lethality of COVID-19 may be climate sensitive. Future studies will have to confirm these clues, due to potential confounding factors, such as pollution, population age, and exposure to malaria.
Subject(s)
Climate , Coronavirus Infections/mortality , Pneumonia, Viral/mortality , Seasons , Weather , Betacoronavirus , Brunei/epidemiology , Burundi/epidemiology , COVID-19 , Congo/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Ecuador/epidemiology , Equatorial Guinea/epidemiology , Europe , France/epidemiology , Gabon/epidemiology , Humans , Indian Ocean Islands/epidemiology , Indonesia/epidemiology , Kenya/epidemiology , Malaysia/epidemiology , Melanesia/epidemiology , Micronesia/epidemiology , Netherlands/epidemiology , Pandemics , Papua New Guinea/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Rwanda/epidemiology , SARS-CoV-2 , Samoa/epidemiology , Sao Tome and Principe/epidemiology , Seychelles/epidemiology , Singapore/epidemiology , Somalia/epidemiology , Timor-Leste/epidemiology , Tropical Climate , Uganda/epidemiology , United Kingdom/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A 1-year population-based prospective study was launched in Seychelles, a country with one of the highest human incidence of leptospirosis worldwide, to describe the characteristic features of the epidemiology of the disease and highlight the most prominent risk factors. Diagnosis was based on the IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, microscopic agglutination test, and real-time PCR. A standardized questionnaire was administered to 219 patients aged ≥ 13 years consulting for acute febrile illness. The high incidence of leptospirosis in Seychelles was confirmed. The disease was particularly severe, as the case fatality rate was 11.8%. Leptospirosis was positively associated in univariate analysis with socio-professional and clinical variables including gardening/farming, oliguria, jaundice, conjunctivitis, history of hepatitis C virus infection, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and/or biological renal failure. Epidemiological analyses of the questionnaires highlighted a link of the disease with living in houses (versus apartment), the presence of animals around and in houses, gardening, and misuse of personal protective equipment. Multivariate analyses indicated that being a farmer/landscaper and having cattle and cats around the home are the most significant drivers of leptospirosis. Biological features most associated with leptospirosis were thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, high values for renal function tests, and elevated total bilirubin. We report changes in behavior and exposure compared with data collected on leptospirosis 25 years ago, with indication that healthcare development has lowered case fatality. Continuous health education campaigns are recommended as well as further studies to clarify the epidemiology of human leptospirosis, especially the role of domestic animals.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Bacterial/blood , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Leptospira/pathogenicity , Leptospirosis/epidemiology , Leptospirosis/transmission , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Agglutination Tests , Animals , Cats , Cattle , Farmers , Female , Humans , Incidence , Leptospira/immunology , Leptospirosis/microbiology , Leptospirosis/mortality , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Seychelles/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Survival AnalysisSubject(s)
Child Development , Dietary Exposure/adverse effects , Fishes , Food Contamination , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System , Methylmercury Compounds/adverse effects , Nervous System/drug effects , Seafood/adverse effects , Age Factors , Animals , Child , Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Humans , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/diagnosis , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/epidemiology , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/physiopathology , Nervous System/growth & development , Nutritional Status , Nutritive Value , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Seychelles/epidemiologySubject(s)
Child Development , Dietary Exposure/adverse effects , Fishes , Food Contamination , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System , Methylmercury Compounds/adverse effects , Nervous System/drug effects , Seafood/adverse effects , Age Factors , Animals , Child , Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena , Humans , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/diagnosis , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/epidemiology , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/physiopathology , Nervous System/growth & development , Nutritional Status , Nutritive Value , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate associations between self-reported sleep duration and cardiometabolic (CM) risk factors in African-origin adults residing in five countries spanning the epidemiologic transition. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Ghanaian (nâ¯=â¯491), South African (nâ¯=â¯503), Jamaican (nâ¯=â¯508), Seychellois (nâ¯=â¯501) and American (nâ¯=â¯480) men and women. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported sleep duration was obtained using questionnaires. Sex- and site-stratified logistic regression analyses investigated relationships between sleep duration, individual CM risk factors and a binary CM risk variable (presence of ≥3 CM risk factors), adjusting for age, physical activity and education. RESULTS: Sleep duration distributions varied by cohort: 44.5%, 41.4%, 35.9%, 16.8% and 2.5% of American, Jamaican, Seychellois, Ghanaian and South African men reported <7â¯h sleep per night respectively (pâ¯<â¯0.001). Similarly, 42.6%, 28.6%, 25.2%, 12.8% and 1.5% of American, Jamaican, Seychellois, Ghanaian and South African women reported <7â¯h sleep respectively (pâ¯<â¯0.001). American men reporting ≤6â¯h sleep were more likely to be in the elevated CM risk group (OR: 2.52, 95%CI: 1.02, 6.22, pâ¯=â¯0.045) and to have a high waist circumference (OR: 2.44, 95%CI: 1.07, 5.57, pâ¯=â¯0.034) compared to those reporting 8â¯h sleep. Jamaican women reporting ≤6â¯h sleep (OR: 2.53, 95%CI: 1.19, 5.36, pâ¯=â¯0.016) and American women reporting 7â¯h sleep (OR: 2.71, 95%CI: 1.17, 6.26, pâ¯=â¯0.002) were more likely to be obese than those reporting 8â¯h sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Associations between short sleep and CM risk factors were only evident in the American men and women and Jamaican women. Future interventions to address CM risk and sleep health may need to be country-specific when targeting high-risk populations.
Subject(s)
Black People/statistics & numerical data , Black or African American/statistics & numerical data , Cardiometabolic Risk Factors , Metabolic Syndrome/ethnology , Sleep , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Ghana/epidemiology , Humans , Jamaica/epidemiology , Male , Risk Factors , Self Report , Seychelles/epidemiology , South Africa/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time Factors , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The results of two national oral health surveys in 1993/4 led the Seychelles School Dental Service (SDS) to implement an oral health improvement strategy through the adoption of a targeted population approach. The aim was to attain the World Health Organization's (WHO) goal for 12-year-olds, of a DMFT (decayed, missing, filled permanent teeth) of less than 3.0, by the year 2000. Primary 5 (P5) children from all state schools were selected as the target population. Although all the children (1538) were exposed to the targeted service interventions, 500 were sampled out for study, through random sampling of school class lists. Data was collected at the beginning of 1998 and end of 2000, through clinical examination and self-administered questionnaires. All examinations and interventions were carried out by dental therapists (DTs), in their respective clinics. For the purpose of this paper comparisons made between 12-year-olds of 1994 and those of 2000 are based only on the dental examination data. Interventions were spread over three years from 1998 to 2000. These included an initial dental examination followed by any dental treatment required, an annual recall visit, dental health education at class and individual level, and weekly school-based fluoride mouth rinses. Parameters investigated were 1) community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN), 2) dental health status (DMFT), 3) enamel defect, and 4) clinic attendance. All parameters improved significantly between the cohort of 1994 and that of 2000. The proportion of children and of sextants with healthy gingivae increased from 3.4% to 51.8% and from 25.9% to 70.9% respectively. Children with no enamel defects increased from 51.1% to. 92.6%, while children with newly decayed teeth decreased from 61% to 33%. The mean number of newly decayed teeth fell from 2.0 to 0.8. The proportion of children attending their clinic at least once a year for check up increased from 51% in 1994 through 73% in 1998 to almost 100% in 2000. The WHO goal for children aged 12 years to have a DMFT of less than 3 was met, with a change from 3.2 in 1994 to 1.9 in 2000.
Subject(s)
Health Status , Oral Health , Child , Fluorides , Humans , Seychelles/epidemiology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The paper gives a brief description of the Seychelles education system, its main characteristics and its major achievements. It outlines the various reforms that have been instituted since independence from the British in 1976. It reviews the objectives of the reforms, which were to ensure ten years of universal education and to bring about significant improvements in the quality of education throughout the system. The second part of the paper examines the extent to which the main issues targeted by the reforms have been resolved and the related aspects of quality enhancement. Finally, future directions as outlined in the Ministry of Education's Strategic Plan are considered.
Subject(s)
Educational Status , Humans , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Large numbers of individuals suffered severe neurological effects from poisoning with methyl mercury from the consumption of fish contaminated by industrial discharge in Minamata in the 1950s and 1960s and from bread made from fungicide-treated wheat in the early 1970s in Iraq. In both episodes, infants exposed in utero showed developmental delays. Data from Iraq permitted the estimation of dose-response relationships and provided evidence of greater sensitivity of the foetal brain compared to adult. Studies in a number of communities regularly consuming fish have sought to determine whether and at what level of prenatal exposure neurodevelopment defects may be detected, but the findings do not present a consistent picture. Benchmark analysis using data from Iraq and the three largest studies (New Zealand, Faroes, and Seychelles) suggest an overlap in estimated dose corresponding to a 10% increase in prevalence of adverse effects above background level. However, the Seychelles study, examining children up to 9 years of age, has not found a consistent pattern of adverse developmental effects; a possible explanation may be the presence of micronutrients in the ocean fish diet that enhance brain development and/or counter the toxic effects of methyl mercury.
Subject(s)
Mercury , Methylmercury Compounds , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Animals , Diet , Female , Fishes , Food Contamination/analysis , Humans , Mercury/analysis , Methylmercury Compounds/analysis , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , New Zealand , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/chemically induced , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The Seychelles Child Development Study represents two decades of collaboration between the Ministry of Health of Seychelles, a small island nation in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and the University of Rochester, a renowned academic and research institution in North America. The study has established itself as a model of strong longitudinal epidemiological studies and collaborative research between institutions in developed and developing countries. It has produced significant scientific findings and a large number of publications on the issue of methyl mercury from fish in the maternal diet and child development. This paper provides a background to the study and describes the key strengths of the collaboration. A brief summary of all the publications is also provided.
Subject(s)
Methylmercury Compounds , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Animals , Child Development , Diet , Female , Fishes , Food Contamination , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Foods and nutrients may influence methyl mercury (MeHg) absorption and / or metabolism in humans. Consequently, epidemiological studies of MeHg exposure should assess dietary habits. The aim of this paper is to describe the development, implementation and preliminary results of the dietary assessment method used in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study (SCDNS). A researcher from the University of Ulster (UU) visited Seychelles to consult with health professionals, and to ascertain the types of foods typically eaten, population characteristics, and potential study resources. Consequently, it was decided that a four- day food diary should be implemented, in conjunction with a 'food use questionnaire' (FUQ). Piloting confirmed this approach to be feasible. Diet was assessed in women (n=282) at 28 weeks gestation. Following FUQ completion, subjects used the food diary to record every item of food / drink that they consumed for four consecutive days (Thursday-Sunday inclusive). Completed diaries were reviewed by project nurses, and quality control was undertaken by the Nutrition Unit (Ministry of Health, Seychelles). Diary processing is ongoing at UU. Of the women who completed the FUQ, only two (0.7%) reported that they had not consumed any fish or fish products in the two weeks prior to questionnaire completion. Fish consumption was high (median, 8.5 fish meals/week; 5th percentile, 3.0 fish meals/week; 95th percentile 15.0 fish meals/week). Karang was the fish most commonly consumed, followed by barracuda, snapper and mackerel. The results of the SCDNS should help to ascertain whether maternal food / nutrient intakes during pregnancy can influence MeHg exposures in mothers and their offspring.
Subject(s)
Methylmercury Compounds , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects , Animals , Child Development , Eating , Female , Fishes , Food Contamination , Humans , Nutritional Status , Pregnancy , Seychelles/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Although Seychelles is a very small country with a population of 79 879 in 2003, it has a complex and under-studied society and economy. In order to provide broad context, this article provides an overview of the national population trends before framing Seychelles in the concept of a small island developing state (SIDS). This serves to highlight macroeconomic and geographical realities. The article then gives a short sketch of the transition of the economy from the colonial period to the present. These two sections provide understanding of the country's vulnerabilities and export- orientated productive base, thereby explicating the economic input to social development. The next section provides analysis of a cross- section of key indicators of social development. This demonstrates the comparatively high levels of human development in Seychelles. Finally, the article briefly examines how social development has been sustained since independence and outlines challenges to maintaining socio-economic gains in the medium-term future.
Subject(s)
Developing Countries , Economic Development , Social Change , Socioeconomic Factors , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Developing Countries/economics , Economic Development/trends , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Population Dynamics , Seychelles/epidemiology , Time Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
Health in Seychelles has improved significantly over the past three decades, largely as a result of investment not only in the health services, but also in other social sectors that have direct impact on child survival and the health of individuals. Through different stages of the evolution of the health care system there have been close links between health policy and strategy, the overall national development efforts and the wider social and economic environment. Awareness of these links are useful in the understanding of current health issues such as the lifestyle related patterns of morbidity and mortality, characterised by non-communicable diseases and HIV/AIDS, the high demands for health care services, and evolving relationships between the public and private sectors.