Assessing the Status of Diabetes Associations in the Pacific: A Starting Point for Strengthening Associations to Manage Diabetes.

This study aimed to assess the status of national diabetes associations in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories as a starting point for strengthening their development and effectiveness in the prevention and control of diabetes. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 21 Pacific Island Countries and Territories using a structured questionnaire that gathered information from national non-communicable diseases prevention and control focal persons on diabetes associations, organizational structure, funding sources, and ongoing activities to address diabetes. The overall status of national diabetes associations was assessed using standardized criteria.

Insights in Public Health: COVID-19 Special Column: The Crisis of Non-Communicable Diseases in the Pacific and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Globally, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is threatening human health and changing the way people live. With the increasing evidence showing comorbidities of COVID-19 and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the Pacific region, where approximately 75% of deaths are due to NCDs, is significantly vulnerable during this crisis unless urgent action is taken. Whilst enforcing the critical mitigation measures of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Pacific, it is also paramount to incorporate and strengthen NCD prevention and control measures to safeguard people with NCDs and the general population; keep people healthy and minimise the impact of COVID-19.

Baseline status of policy and legislation actions to address non communicable diseases crisis in the Pacific.

Background: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of death in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) accounting for approximately 70% of mortalities. Pacific leaders committed to take action on the Pacific NCD Roadmap, which specifies NCD policy and legislation. To monitor progress against the NCD Roadmap, the Pacific Monitoring Alliance for NCD Action (MANA) was formed and the MANA dashboard was developed.

The politics of food in the Pacific: coherence and tension in regional policies on nutrition, the food environment and non-communicable diseases.

Objective: Our study analysed evolving regional commitments on food policy in the Pacific. Our aim was to understand regional priorities and the context of policy development, to identify opportunities for progress.

Design: We analysed documentation from a decade of regional meetings in order to map regional policy commitments relevant to healthy diets.

Cancer control in the Pacific: big challenges facing small island states.

This Series paper describes the current state of cancer control in Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs). PICTs are diverse but face common challenges of having small, geographically dispersed, isolated populations, with restricted resources, fragile ecological and economic systems, and overburdened health services. PICTs face a triple burden of infection-related cancers, rapid transition to lifestyle-related diseases, and ageing populations; additionally, PICTs are increasingly having to respond to natural disasters associated with climate change.

Cancer control in small island nations: from local challenges to global action.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in small island nations and is forecast to increase substantially over the coming years. Governments, regional agencies, and health services of these nations face daunting challenges, including small and fragile economies, unequal distribution of resources, weak or fragmented health services, small population sizes that make sustainable workforce and service development problematic, and the unavailability of specialised cancer services to large parts of the population. Action is required to prevent large human and economic costs relating to cancer.

Monitoring and accountability for the Pacific response to the non-communicable diseases crisis.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the Pacific. In 2011, Pacific Forum Leaders declared "a human, social and economic crisis" due to the significant and growing burden of NCDs in the region. In 2013, Pacific Health Ministers' commitment to 'whole of government' strategy prompted calls for the development of a robust, sustainable, collaborative NCD monitoring and accountability system to track, review and propose remedial action to ensure progress towards the NCD goals and targets.

Tobacco Smoking in Islands of the Pacific Region, 2001-2013.

We provide an overview of tobacco smoking patterns in Pacific island countries and territories to facilitate monitoring progress toward the goal of a Tobacco-Free Pacific by 2025. We examined data from 4 surveys conducted in the region between 2001 and 2013, including the STEPwise approach to surveillance for adults (25-64 years); the Global School-Based Student Health Survey and the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (students 13-15 years); and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (grade 9-12 students) in United States affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs). Adult smoking prevalence ranged from less than 5% of women in Vanuatu to almost 75% of men in Kiribati.

Alcohol use in the Pacific region: Results from the STEPwise approach to surveillance, Global School-Based Student Health Survey and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

Introduction And Aims: Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disease and injury in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICT). This paper examines drinking patterns across 20 PICTs.

Design And Methods: We synthesised published data from the STEPwise approach to surveillance or similar surveys for adults 25-64 years, and from the Global School-Based Student Health surveys and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) for youth.

Noncommunicable diseases and risk factors in adult populations of several Pacific Islands: results from the WHO STEPwise approach to surveillance.

Objective: To provide an overview of the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factors in several Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs), in accordance with global NCD targets.

Methods: For six risk factors, data for adults (aged 25-64 years) from published reports of the World Health Organization STEPwise approach to NCD surveillance, or methodologically similar surveys, were collated, age standardised and compared across fifteen PICTs.

Results: In the majority of PICT populations, more than half of male current drinkers drank heavily and more than 40% of men and 20% of women were current smokers.

Evidence-informed process to identify policies that will promote a healthy food environment in the Pacific Islands.

Objective: To implement a systematic evidence-informed process to enable Fiji and Tonga to identify the most feasible and targeted policy interventions which would have most impact on diet-related non-communicable diseases.

Design: A multisectoral stakeholder group of policy advisers was formed in each country. They used participatory approaches to identify the problem policies and gaps contributing to an unhealthy food environment.