Unravelling Delay in Care for Sexually Transmitted Infections-Related Symptoms in a Developing Country Setting (Jamaica).

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and STI treatment remain a challenge in public health. There is little understanding of related factors influencing health seeking behaviour and delay of care among clinic attendees in Jamaica.

Aim: To determine socio-demographic profile of clinic attendees with STI and identify factors associated with delay in seeking care for STI-related symptoms.

Taxi drivers and COVID-19 in Jamaica: Occupationally related income decline and health behaviour.

Income and employment are recognised as social determinants of health. Occupationally related exposures and working conditions impact health behaviours. Taxi drivers have been recognised as an occupationally COVID-19 at-risk group.

COVID-19 related risk perception among taxi operators in Kingston and St. Andrew, Jamaica.

Background: In the Caribbean, all countries have confirmed COVID-19 cases. Considering the high infectivity of the virus, no preexisting immunity to the virus and an associated modest reproductive rate (R), the high density of persons utilizing public transport is of immense public health concern. Public transport systems may facilitate and accelerate the transmission of the disease.

Zarit burden interview among caregivers of community-dwelling older adults in a caribbean setting (Jamaica): Reliability and factor structure.

The Zarit Burden Interview has been the most popularly used tool for measuring caregiver burden and with the 60 years and over population in Jamaica and developing countries expected to increase, caregiver burden and its assessment assume increased importance. Establishing the reliability and underlying factor structure of instruments such as the ZBI is critical. This study sought to determine the reliability of the Zarit Burden Interview and to assess its underlying factor structure.

Socio-demographic, Health and Functional Status Correlates of Caregiver Burden Among Care Recipients Age 60 Years and Older in Jamaica.

The provision of care to older persons can impose significant burden on those providing care, burdens influenced by care recipient characteristic, caregiver attributes and availability of social support. This paper focuses on identifying relationships between caregiver burden and the socio-demographic, health and functional status attributes of care recipients age 60 years and older in Jamaica. A nationally representative cross-sectional study was done among persons providing non-institutional care for a single person 60 years and older.

Breast Cancer in Jamaica: Trends From 2010 to 2014-Is Mortality Increasing?

Purpose: This study sought to provide a detailed analysis of breast cancer-specific mortality in Jamaica on the basis of reported deaths between 2010 and 2014.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was done to analyze breast cancer-specific mortality data from the Registrar General's Department, the statutory body responsible for registering all deaths across Jamaica.

Results: A total of 1,634 breast cancer-related deaths were documented among Jamaican women between 2010 and 2014, which accounted for 24% of all female cancer deaths.

Caregivers of Older Persons in Jamaica: Characteristics, Burden, and Associated Factors.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine and characterize caregiver burden among caregivers of community-dwelling older persons in Jamaica.

Method: A nationally representative cross-sectional study was done among persons providing noninstitutional care for a single person (≥60 years). The Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and a structured questionnaire were administered to 180 caregivers from four geographic health regions.

Predictors of hospitalization and surgical intervention among patients with motorcycle injuries.

Background: To describe the distribution of injuries, hospitalization rates by body areas injured, and surgery-requiring admissions, and to identify independent predictors of admission to a regional hospital in Jamaica.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among persons presenting to the St Ann's Bay Regional Hospital in Jamaica (2016-2018) with injuries sustained from motorcycle crashes. A census was done of patients admitted to the surgery ward from the emergency room, as well as those referred to the Orthopaedic Outpatient Department.

Helmet use among motorcycle accident victims in the north-east region of Jamaica.

Currently in Jamaica, motorcyclists account for the largest group of fatalities among all road users. Between 2016 and 2018, a cross sectional study was conducted at the Saint Ann's Bay Regional Hospital involving 155 participants. There were 98.

Performance and Receiver Operating Characteristics of the Mini-Mental State Examination Instrument in Detecting Dementia in a Rapidly Aging Developing Country (Jamaica).

Objective: To examine the performance of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in community-dwelling older persons in a developing country (Jamaica) undergoing rapid population aging.

Methods: An embedded validity study was conducted utilizing participants from a nationally representative sample of 2782 older persons. Standardized MMSE scores were obtained for study participants.