population health monitoring in curaçao

Population health monitoring in

Curaçao

Soraya Verstraeten, PhD.

What VIC does

Collect and analyze data on population health in Curaçao • for the benefit of policy making• Based on international methods

1. National Health Surveys2. Data registration systems3. Active dissemination (www.vic.cw)

SDG-3 health policy areas and indicatorsGeneral health and wellbeing Life expectancyHIV/AIDS Incidence and mortalityInfectious diseases Incidence chlamydiaCancer screening Mortality from breast, cervix and colon cancerTobacco Smoking prevalenceReproductive care Adolescent fertility rateMaternal and infant Neonatal mortalityObesity and diabetes Prevalence of obesityHypertension Stroke mortalityAlcohol Prevalence of binge drinkingTraffic Safety Road traffic mortalityViolence Bullying/homicide rate

Comparison within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Source: S. Verstraeten, H. van Oers & J. Mackenbach. European Journal of Public Health. 2020.

Comparison Caribbean region

Source: United Nations, World Population Prospects 2019

Ca. 1980

Ca. 1950

Ca. 2015

4th

3rd

7th

3nd

5th

9th

Aruba

Ca. 1980

Ca. 1950

Ca. 2015

Curaçao• Ranking life expectancy in 21 Caribbean states

12rd

7rd

1st

Ca. 1980

Ca. 1950

Ca. 2015

Martinique

SDG-3 health policy areasGeneral health and wellbeingHIV/AIDSInfectious diseasesCancer screeningTobaccoReproductive careMaternal and infantObesity and diabetesHypertensionAlcoholTraffic SafetyViolence

16 Caribbean states - health indicators of: • Policy implementation (best-practices) • Intermediate health outcomes (disease)• Final health outcomes (mortality)

SDG-3 health policy areas

“Variations in health outcomes between Caribbean states reflect differences in theimplementation of best-practise health policies”

Source: S Verstraeten, H van Oers and J Mackenbach. American Journal of Public Health, 2019

Implementation best-practices policies


0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

0 20 40 60 80 100

Com

mun

icab

le d

iseas

e m

orta

lity

(per

10

0,00

0 0-

to 1

4-ye

ar o

lds)

IHR Core Capacity Surveillance (%)

General health and wellbeingHIV/AIDSInfectious diseasesCancer screeningTobaccoReproductive careMaternal and infantObesity and diabetesHypertensionAlcoholTraffic SafetyViolence

Health policy performance score


Curaçao

SDG target 3.7: reproductive care

SDG target 3.7“By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”


Progress adolescent mothers

Data: CBS.cw

• Adolescent fertility has declined from 186 births in 2010 to 114 births in 2017.

• Annually, on average 2 to 3% of all 15- to 19-year old girls have had a child between 2010 and 2017

Comparison Caribbean region

Data: PAHO PLISA database

• Adolescent fertility rate in Curacao is average compared to the region

• And 7 times higher than in the Netherlands

Why important?• Teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of school prematurely;

decreases economic prospects (Hellings, FAJ, SIFMA, 2010)

• Medical point of view: teenage pregnancies have a less favorable outlook; increased risk of premature birth, perinatal death and complications during pregnancy.

• Most teenage pregnancies are unwanted: 40 to 54% of all teenage pregnancies in Curaçao end in abortion (Boersma et al, 2011.)

• In 2015: five girls hospitalized after taking illegally obtained abortions pills.

Main pregnancy prevention methods

• Ever had sexual intercourse (boys 42% vs. girls 36%)

Source: Volksgezondheid Instituut Curaçao. Student Health Survey Curaçao, 2015

Reasons for abstinence

Source: Volksgezondheid Instituut Curaçao. Student Health Survey Curaçao, 2015

What works – best practices• Youth development, better future prospects

• Education, after-school activities, sports

• Improve sexual and reproductive education and information• Via school programmes, national campaigns, outreach programmes

• Improve access to contraception and pregnancy termination• Via GP’s and Famia Plania

• Support for teenage mothers• Fundashon Guia i Forma (Kas Broeder Pius) • Wet sociale vormingsplicht (includes childcare)• SEDA, Mami Sa (daytime activities and courses)

Boersma et al. 2011, Hellings 2010, FAJ, SIFMA, Famia Plania

Success stories 1

Population screening• 2010 breast• 2016 cervix• 2020 colon


Public Health Service• 2018 immunization

coverage• 2020 contact tracing

National campaign• STD testing• Contraception

Success stories 2

Living conditions• Curaçao Clean Up• Cura Doet• Kaya Kaya


Food environment • Hofi’s• Markets• Community gardens

Healthy lifestyle• Community walks• Community sports

COVID-pandemic?

Econ

omic

grow

th

Thank you!

population health monitoring in curaçao

Documents