Ministry undertakes chronic disease health survey
Thursday, January 30, 2020
by Anicia Antoine, GIS
IN SAINT LUCIA, 82 PERCENT OF THE MORTALITY RATE IS ATTRIBUTED TO CHRONIC DISEASES.

The Department of Health and Wellness has embarked upon the STEPS Behavioral Risk Factor Survey to monitor the causes and effects of chronic diseases.

The survey, which began in December 2019, monitors behavioral risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and unhealthy eating, as well as biological risk factors including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and obesity.

Dr. Shana Cyr Philbert, Senior Medical Officer of Chronic Diseases at the Ministry of Health explained that the behavioral risk factor survey is divided into three steps.

“We ask questions as it relates to health [to ascertain] those things that make persons more prone to getting diseases,” she said.

Alma Dolor, Assistant Principal Nursing Officer at the Ministry of Health, is urging the public to cooperate with enumerators and nurses during the data collection process.

“We really need your participation to be able to help schools change programs and activities. Also, in order to seek funding we need evidence.”

Seventy-one percent of deaths worldwide are attributed to chronic diseases. In Saint Lucia 82 percent of the mortality rate is attributed to chronic diseases.