Clinical Utility of CERAD neuropsychological battery in elderly Jamaicans

Information on the clinical utility of neuropsychological tests in non-North-American samples is limited. We examined the diagnostic efficacy of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropsychological battery in Jamaican men and women age 65 and older. A total of 72 elders were diagnosed as normal and 12 were demented based on history, physical, and neurological examination, participants were tested with the CERAD battery. Normal controls scored significantly better than dementia patients on all tests in the CERAD battery. A discriminant function found that a combination of Word List Learning Sum Recall and Boston Naming Test correctly classified a total of 81 percent of the cases (83 percent of the dements and 81 percent of the normal controls). This study is the first to demonstrate thr clinical utility of the CERAD neuropsychological battery in the differential diagnosis of memory disorders of the aged in a non-North-American sample.(Au)

Depression in the elderly - abstract

This is a cross-sectional study of elderly persons living in institutional, rural and urban settings. It was conducted to determine the prevalence of depression among the elderly and to determine the factors which may act as protective mechanisms against depression. Elderly males and females were chosen from three senior citizen clubs and the Golden Age Home in Kingston and St Andrew. The study revealed that the highest prevalence of depression was in the institutional setting followed by urban and then rural areas. Elderly persons less than 69 years old, those with no income, and those with financial troubles in the previous year were more likely to have depression symptoms. The elderly who had close contact with children and who possessed enough privacy were likely not to have depressive symptoms. These findings disclosed that there is a significant level of depression among the elderly, and that programmes need to be developed to cope with their emotional and economic needs. (AU)

Diabetes mellitus in the Jamaican elderly

10.2 percent of 1318 people aged 60 to 97 years old interviewed in a community based survey in Jamaica reported that they had type II diabetes mellitus, and this was confirmed by appropriate blood and urine tests. The disease occurred more frequently in females (12.6 percent) of 669 interviewed than in males (7.8 percent of 649 interviewed), and was detected in an additional 2.96 percent of the study group who were not aware that they had the disease. Among the group of diabetics, 60.25 percent also reported that they were hypertensive, 63.1 percent were taking oral anti-diabetic tablets, and 20.4 percent reported having the disease for more than 20 years. 89.5 percent of the entire study group, and 88 percent of the diabetic population, were functionally independent. (AU)

Diabetes mellitus in the Jamaican elderly

10.2 percent of 1318 people aged 60 to 97 years old interviewed in a community based survey in Jamaica reported that they had type II diabetes mellitus, and this was confirmed by appropriate blood and urine tests. The disease occurred more frequently in females (12.6 percent) of 669 interviewed than in males (7.8 percent of 649 interviewed), and was detected in an additional 2.96 percent of the study group who were not aware that they had the disease. Among the group of diabetics, 60.25 percent also reported that they were hypertensive, 63.1 percent were taking oral anti-diabetic tablets, and 20.4 percent reported having the disease for more than 20 years. 89.5 percent of the entire study group, and 88 percent of the diabetic population, were functionally independent.

Working women's sexual risk taking in Jamaica

Although the rates of HIV are increasing among female populations in developing countries, there is little information available about factors influencing sexual risk taking among working class women. This paper describes some of the issues discussed by two groups of 58 women working in Jamaica: Informal Commerical Importers and women working in the Free Zone. These women discuss their economic vulnerability, expectations about the role of men as provides, multiple partners, perception of children as resources and concern about physical abuse as factors that could influence decisions about condom use. The implications of these findings are discussed for their impact of intervention programs targeting working class women in Jamaica.(AU)

Level of mental impairment in the Jamaican elderly and the issues of screening levels, caregiving, support systems, carepersons, and female burden

Jamaica, although a developing country, has an aging population and is facing the many issues confronting aging. A community-based study using the Folstein minimental screening tool identified 2.3 percent of the over-60 population as severely impaired and 11.8 percent as questionable. The family was identified as the main source of support, and female relatives the main carepersons. Mentally impaired persons were less likely than physically impaired persons not to have a support syustem or careperson needed (AU).

A pilot study of alcohol and drug-related traffic accidents and death in two Jamaican parishes, 1991

This study is a preliminary effort to document the role of drugs in motor vehicle accidents as it examines the presence of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in blood samples of thirty-one motor vehicle fatalities. The study identified that males (90.3 percent) and pedestrians (41.9 percent) were killed most often. Evidence of alcohol intake was found in 77.5 percent of the fatalities and 35.5 percent had alcohol levels above the legal acceptable limits. Traces of marijuana were found in 22.5 percent and a combination of alcohol and marijuana in 22.5 percent of the victims (AU)

The ageing of the population - a time for action: the role of public health

The past two decades have witnessed the growth of the over-60,"elderly" population both in numbers and life expectancy. Similarly, there has been a shift in overall morbidity from acute to chronic causes and associated lifestyle factors. The increasing elderly population provides health care planners with new challenges at a time of decreasing resources. The public health approach, which equally stresses the responsibility of the individual, the family, the community and health care providers, is suggested as the starting point for addressing the issue. (AU)

An epidemiological study of the Jamaican elderly

Populations across the world are ageing in terms of years of life after 60 and the section of the population referred to as the elderly is growing at a rapid rate. Among the countries of the developing world, the Caribbean including Jamaica has the oldest elderly population. The experience of the developed world is that elderly related issues are many and diverse. This study examines the history of public health contributions to the successful ageing of the Jamaican population. The study also examines the demographic, health and nutritional features of the elderly population. Social, economic and health related issues are defined and used to make recommendations for future policy and programmes. The Jamaican elderly population now comprises over ten percent of the total population. The elderly however are for the most part both mentally competent and physically independent. The elderly continue to live in family units and the family is the main source of support both emotional and financial. The study identified the older female especially those over 80 as being more likely to be alone and "at risk". Overall the elderly were healthy and the major chronic diseases identified were hypertension and diabetes and women were affected more than men. In addition obesity was identified as the main nutritional problem (AU)

An overview of the elderly in Jamaica with particular reference to the role of government and non-government organizations in service planning and delivery

The Jamaican population aged 60 and over has grown both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the total population in the last 60 years; future increases will even be more dramatic. This paper documents the growth of this age group since 1921 and provides projections up to 2025. Despite the various social and economic changes of recent years, the family remains the main source of support and caring for the elderly in Jamaica. Programs for the aged are included in the social security programs designed by the government to provide social and economic assistance to the population. Program activites include: food distribution, senior day care centers, and home help service providers. In addition, private and governmental pension and insurance plans provide both saving and protection for the elderly. HelpAge Jamaica, a private voluntary organization for matters concerning the elderly, was established in 1987. It is hoped that HelpAge and the various governmental organizations will work together to improve the care of the elderly in Jamaica (AU)

Delayed permanent tooth emergence in chronically malnourished children - abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between anthropometric indicators of malnutrition and tooth eruption status of 6-year-old children. The 100 subjects from the Kingston area were placed into groups, as per Waterlow's classification of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), according to height-for-age (H/A) and weight-for-height (W/H) and number of emerged teeth noted (table included). Statistical analysis (ANOVA - Duncan's test) indicates a significant decrease (p<0.01) in the number of erupted permanent teeth emerged in the Stunted and the Stunted Wasted (p<0.05) as compared to the Normal children (AU)