Objectives

To estimate the prevalence, severity, and associated risk factors of gingival inflammation in a group of adults from Kingston, Jamaica; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Method

Introduction

Kidney stones have become increasingly prevalent over the past two decades with the prevalence rate worldwide being approximately 1.7% to 8.8%(1). Fifty percent (50%) of individuals that have had renal calculi will have a recurrence(2). Stones such as Calcium Oxalate are idiopathic(3). This study aims to identify the composition and concentration of elements present in calcium oxalate stones.

Method

INTRODUCTION

Sickle cell disease is known to be a leading cause of local indirect maternal mortality and may also have adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes. The aim of the study is to determine if pregnant women with the sickle cell trait (HbAS) have increased rates of intrauterine growth restriction and abnormal Doppler velocimetry findings when compared to a control group with normal hemoglobin (HbAA).

METHODS

Aim

To document the outcome of babies mechanically ventilated at the Bustamante Hospital for Children over a five-year period

Methods

A retrospective study looking at all babies mechanically ventilated at the Bustamante Hospital for Children over a 5-year period was conducted. Descriptive analyses were performed.

Results

Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease, usually involving high pressure in the eye. It is the second leading cause of blindness globally. Early diagnosis and consistent treatment reduces the likelihood of blindness.

Glaucoma is more prevalent in black populations, especially those within the Caribbean. It is therefore important to assess how compliant patients are with their anti-glaucoma medication in Jamaica and determine possible factors which may affect their compliance.

In Jamaican traditional medicine, the dried root (1-4 g) of the sarsaparilla (Smilax ornata) is made into a tea to relieve pain related to arthritis. To investigate this claim extracts of the root were examined using the rat tail-flick model.

Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were first individually placed on the analgesimeter, heat applied to the tail and the time taken for animal to flick tail was recorded as a measure of sensitivity to pain. Rats were then divided into groups containing 6 rats.

Studies from around the world have reported that children with epilepsy (CWE) are more likely to have sleep and behavioural problems. Both sleep and behavioural problems can affect treatment and quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate sleep and behaviour in Jamaican CWE.

Health is affected by social,economic, and biological factors which are often disproportionately distributed between genders. Identifying differences will facilitate evidence-based responses.This paper examines gender differences in chronic diseases and risk factors among persons ≥60 years. A nationally-representative, community-based survey (N = 2943) was conducted in 2012. Interviewers collected demographic, socio-economic, health, and lifestyle data. Clinical data were obtained from a randomly selected sub-sample (n = 373).