Publications by authors named "Christine Laptiste"

Background: In Trinidad and Tobago, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death. Unhealthy diet is one modifiable NCD risk factor, which contributes to the NCD burden. The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been associated with an increased risk of NCDs.

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Objective: To identify and assess the determinants of unhealthy dietary habits among a sample of survey participants in Jamaica.

Methods: Because of resource constraints, this cross-sectional assessment is based on a three-stage non-probability sample of 374 survey respondents in Jamaica aged ≥18 years. Firstly, three administrative areas (parishes) were randomly selected.

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Objective: To evaluate how sociodemographic factors and food intake affect survey respondents' perceptions of the quality of their diet.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis is based on a nonprobability sample of 374 participants in Jamaica aged ≥18 years. The three-stage process used a simple random sample to select three parishes; the main commercial areas of each parish were chosen for sampling.

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Objective: To estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity and investigate the socioeconomic factors that are associated with multimorbidity among persons 70 years and older in Trinidad and Tobago.

Design And Methods: The data were obtained from a nationally representative comprehensive cross-sectional survey conducted in 2014 among elderly persons in the targeted age group. The prevalence of multimorbidity among the elderly population was estimated.

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The Caribbean, accessed significant external funding over the first three decades of the epidemic, which provided local authorities the opportunity to defer their responsibility in leading or matching the support provided from the external agencies. The reduction in external support has placed increased pressure on the response to the epidemic, with some countries more likely to be affected than others. This paper undertakes a review of the expenditure and funding landscape for HIV programs in the Caribbean.

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Objective: To investigate the feasibility of addressing the public health concerns of tobacco consumption through increased taxation, while preserving or augmenting government revenues in Grenada.

Methods: Purposive sampling methods were used to ensure data availability and geographical representativeness. Average price per 20-pack of the most-sold brands of cigarettes was calculated using data from three major supermarkets.

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Objectives: To determine the extent to which increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco products in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries might successfully reduce consumption of those products and raise revenues, which could then be channeled into noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control initiatives.

Methods: The Tobacco Tax Simulation (TaXSiM) model, which was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), was used to simulate the impact of tax changes on alcohol and tobacco products in three CARICOM member countries. Estimates of the NCD response cost in the 15 countries that are full members of CARICOM .

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Background: The continuous migration of Human Resources for Health (HRH) compromises the quality of health services in the developing supplying countries. The ability to increase earnings potentially serves as a strong motivator for HRH to migrate abroad. This study adds to limited available literature on HRH salaries within the Caribbean region and establishes the wage gap between selected Caribbean and popular destination countries.

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This paper examines the character of the response to HIV/AIDS in Trinidad and Tobago and assesses the impact of the response on reducing the spread of the epidemic. The launch of the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan in 2004 signalled the intent of the government to take the response to HIV/AIDS to a different level. This is seen by the sheer increase in the volume of resources allocated to the response from the levels of the 1980s and 1990s.

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