Outcome and Cost Evaluation of Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in the Caribbean.

Introduction Hip fractures in the elderly are considered one of the most common types of orthopedic injuries, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence has been increasing over the years, and its management has also caused a significant economic burden for most countries worldwide. This study aimed to determine the outcomes and economic costs associated with hip fractures in elderly patients at a tertiary care institution in Trinidad and Tobago.

Transcriptomic Profiling Reveals Altered Expression of Genes Involved in Metabolic and Immune Processes in NDV-Infected Chicken Embryos.

Objective: The poultry industry is significantly impacted by viral infections, particularly Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which leads to substantial economic losses. It is essential to comprehend how the sequence of development affects biological pathways and how early exposure to infections might affect immune responses.

Methods: This study employed transcriptome analysis to investigate host-pathogen interactions by analyzing gene expression changes in NDV-infected chicken embryos' lungs.

Correction: Sebro et al. Implementation of Antigen-Based Diagnostic Assays for Detection of Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis among Patients with Advanced HIV in Trinidad and Tobago: A Cross-Sectional Study. 2024, , 695.

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The pharmaceutical suitcase trade and the need for multisectoral regulation-unproven COVID-19 (Ivermectin and HCQ remedies unmask an insidious health danger in a Caribbean Island).

This article seeks to highlight an aspect of the illegal pharmaceutical trade in the Caribbean. With the advent of COVID-19 there has been a shortage of a number of drugs in the formal sector. This is largely due to restrictions on foreign exchange, importation delays and sensationalized reporting of unrecommended drugs having a curative effect on COVID-19 patients.

Glaucoma and dietary intake: a scoping review.

Introduction: Studies have suggested that dietary intake may influence the incidence and progression of open-angle glaucoma. However, dietary modification is not usually included in the clinical management of glaucoma. The aim of this scoping review was therefore to map the evidence and determine the nature and extent of research done on "diet and glaucoma" and identify any gaps in this area of scholarship.

An exploratory case study of food sharing practices in Caribbean countries through a transition lens using intergenerational dyad interviews.

Background: Caribbean populations face complex health issues related to diet and food security as they undergo a rapid nutrition transition, resulting in some of the world's highest number of premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Despite policy efforts to promote local and regional food consumption, reliance on food imports remains high with many Caribbean countries importing more than 80% of their food from larger economies. Previous regional research revealed the importance of food sharing practices in the Caribbean, with implications for the consumption of local foods, food security, and community resilience against climate change.

Regression of Clinically Diagnosed Ocular Kaposi Sarcoma Post-Initiation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Kaposi sarcoma is a low-grade vascular neoplasm linked to the human herpesvirus 8, with the AIDS-associated epidemic variant being the most common and aggressive. Although Kaposi sarcoma more commonly affects the cutaneous tissues, lymph nodes, and visceral organs, it can also be present in ocular and ocular adnexal tissues. We report a case of a 58-year-old Indo-Caribbean woman living with AIDS who presented with a large upper eyelid mass that was clinically diagnosed as Kaposi sarcoma.

vacA genes associated with gastric diseases in Trinidad and Tobago.

Objectives: To delineate and understand the genetic variations among strains from Trinidad and Tobago associated with gastric diseases.

Methods: One hundred (n = 100) patients who routinely presented with clinical features suggestive of peptic disease were enrolled in the study and underwent gastroscopy procedures. Biopsy specimens were analyzed using serological and molecular methods.

Annotated checklist of Sarcophagidae (Diptera) of Jamaica, with new records.

An annotated checklist of the Sarcophagidae of Jamaica is presented based on material collected from 2018 to 2024, supplemented with specimens in museum collections as well as literature records. The checklist comprises 45 species from 21 genera, of which 23 species from 15 genera were collected during the present study and identified based on male terminalia. The following species are recorded from Jamaica for the first time: Dodge, Peckia (Sarcodexia) dominicana (Lopes), Tibana & Lopes, and Lepidodexia (Harpagopyga) diversipes (Coquillet).

Implementing and evaluating a project to enable and encourage Caribbean data-sharing.

The CaribData project, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and implemented by The University of the West Indies, aims to enhance data-handling, -sharing and reuse capabilities in the Caribbean. The project focuses on four main objectives: developing an online data-handling platform, creating a sustainable training and mentoring program, launching a data communication initiative and conducting data availability audits. To evaluate its progress, CaribData integrates two implementation science frameworks, RE-AIM (for Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

The utility of physical activity questionnaires among African origin populations; lost in translation?

Background: Physical activity (PA) is an important preventive factor of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular disease, yet progress towards reducing physical inactivity in populations is slow. Population-levels of PA are most often estimated using self-report questionnaires in population surveys, such as the Global PA Questionnaire (GPAQ), which may not accurately reflect objectively measured PA, such as accelerometers. The aim of the current study was to compare self-report vs objectively measured PA across 5 African-origin populations.

Preschool Vision Screening and Policy: Availability, Awareness and Perceptions of Stakeholders in Selected Locations in Harare and Mashonaland East Provinces.

Background: This study aimed to determine the availability, awareness and perceptions of preschool vision screening (PSVS) and policies among stakeholders in Zimbabwe.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out, and a multi-stage sampling was used to select the schools from private and public schools. The study involved stakeholders (parents/guardians, teachers, principals, proprietors/owners and administrators) and data was collected using a validated questionnaire.

Dynamics of Myopia Progression in Ghana-Evidence From Clinical Practice: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background And Aim: To investigate the pattern of progression of myopia among a Ghanaian clinical cohort.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of a clinical data set of all healthy myopic participants attending a tertiary eye care center was performed. Participants' biennial refraction examinations were tracked for refractive changes 4 years after the date of the first visit.

Multimodal Therapy in Multidrug-Resistant Prostatitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis is generally difficult to treat. It may involve multiple courses of antibiotics and may be difficult to eradicate with high rates of recurrence. We present the case of a 33-year-old male patient with a previous history of renal tract calculi, stent insertions, and perinephric abscess with percutaneous drainage, which then led to a right nephrectomy.

Stable isotope tempestology of tropical cyclones across the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Ocean basins.

Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the major natural hazards to island and coastal communities and ecosystems. However, isotopic compositions of TC-derived precipitation (P) in surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) reservoirs are still lacking. We tested the three main assumptions of the isotope storm "spike" hypothesis (sudden spikes in isotopic ratios).

Enhancing Knowledge and Beliefs: The Impact of a Gender-transformative Training Program on Tuberculosis Care in Southern Nigeria.

Background: Gender-related barriers significantly impede care-seeking for tuberculosis (TB), leading to poor treatment outcomes. This study aimed to assess changes in knowledge and beliefs following a training program on gender-transformative TB programming among stakeholders in Southern Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional pretest/posttest design was employed to evaluate the training's effectiveness among participants from September 2023 to March 2024.

Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs in Jamaica.

Dirofilaria immitis is a zoonotic vector-borne parasite that causes heartworm disease most commonly in canines. Although present in the Caribbean, no published work exists from Jamaica. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of D.

A landscape analysis and one health approach to an invasive species pathway: Pet and aquaria trade in the eastern Caribbean.

Background: The pet and aquaria trade is a pathway for the introduction of invasive alien species (IAS) into sensitive Caribbean ecosystems. This study aims to assess the impact of this trade on IAS management in the Caribbean.

Methods: A multipronged approach was used, involving stakeholder engagement, trade flow analysis, questionnaires, a regional IAS workshop, and a One Health Invasive Alien Species Prioritization (OHIASP) method, to examine the pet and aquaria trade in Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Using data from routine health information systems as a public good in Trinidad and Tobago.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the use of data from routine health information systems (RHIS) as a public good in Trinidad and Tobago, the challenges faced in doing this and opportunities for strengthening the health information system.

Methods: For this descriptive qualitative study, purposive sampling was utilized to recruit 19 people who used or produced RHIS data. Online interviews were conducted via Zoom, and all interviews were recorded and transcribed.

The silent barrier: exploring data availability in Small Island Developing States.

Objective: To quantify three aspects of data-related developmental progress across 57 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) recognized by the United Nations: statistical capacity measured using the Statistical Performance Indicators (SPI), data availability using the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators, and gender-stratified indicators.

Methods: SIDS as a single country group were compared with other World Bank regions, using SPI, availability of SDG metrics, and availability of gender-stratified metrics. Using population size as a proxy for "smallness," its association with data capacity and availability was modeled.

Lessons for sustaining the elimination of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome in the Caribbean.

This study searched grey literature and PubMed for strategies to sustain the elimination of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome and prevent their reintroduction in the Caribbean. Strategies were categorized at the macro, meso, and micro health levels. Macro strategies include: strong, clear, unified political and technical leadership and support; country ownership and subregional coordination of resources, policies, and programs; government investment in national immunization programs; and timely payment to the Pan American Health Organization Revolving Fund for affordable, good-quality vaccines.

SHARE: An ethical framework for equitable data sharing in Caribbean health research.

Data sharing increasingly underpins collaborative research to address complex regional and global public health problems. Advances in analytic tools, including machine learning, have expanded the potential benefits derived from large global repositories of open data. Participating in open data collaboratives offers opportunities for Caribbean researchers to advance the health of the region's population through shared data-driven science and policy.