Using information about elderly subjects attending government medical clinics to tailor nutrition education services to their needs.

A study of the elderly was carried out in 2 Cornwall County parishes (Hanover and Westmoreland) from June to August, 1987. The health status and general situation of the elderly attending Government Medical Clinics was studied to obtain information to design nutrition education services that met their needs. Four Health Centres (two Type II and two Type III) were selected by stratified random sampling for the study. The results indicated that more elderly women (71%) than men (29%) used the Primary Health Care Services. Obesity was more common among women (29%) than men (0%). More men (30%) were underweight than women (9%). Food stamps appeared to be the most regular source of income for the elderly. Most of the elderly (92%) felt that they were not in good health. Although they generally had 2 to 3 meals per day, their food intake, particularly of fruits and peas, appeared to be inadequate. The results point clearly to a need to strengthen the nutrition education services offered to the elderly attending Government Medical Clinics in Cornwall County, Jamaica.

Using information about elderly subjects attending Government Medical Clinics to tailor nutrition education services to their needs

A study of the elderly was carried out in 2 Cornwall County parishes (Hanover and Westmoreland) from June to August, 1987. the health status and general situation of the elderly attending Government Medical Clinics was studied to obrain information to design nutrition education services that met their need. four Health Centres (two Type II and two Type III) were selected by stratified random sampling for the study. The results indicted that more elderly women (71%) than men (29%) used the Primary Health Care Services. Obesity was more common among women (29%) than men (0%). More men (30%) were underweight than women (9%). Food stamps appeared to be the most regular source of income for the elederly. Most of the elderly (92%) felt that they were not in good health. Although they generally had 2 to 3 meals per day, their food intake, particularly of fruits and peas, appeared to be inadequate. The results point clearly to a need to strengthen the education services offered to the elderly attending Government Medical Clinics in Cornwall County, Jamaica

Effects of the institutionalization of primary health care.

PIP: This paper address the institutionalization of the primary health care program in Cornwall County Jamaica, supervised by the Ministry of Health. Under this program, 59 new health centers were constructed and 28 existing ones remodelled. The primary health centers were decentralized and an administrative unit of a hierarchy of health centers was established and classified as type 1 through type 4. Type 1 health center was the smallest and the simplest health unit, and both type 2 and 3 health unit functioned as referral units for patients from type 1 health center. The type 4 health center had an additional administrative block for senior staff of the parish. The implications of this health system to Cornwall county in 1976 were 1) a decline in community health aides per health center, 2) additional child welfare, prenatal family planning, and medical clinics were held, 3) the number of rural families utilizing health care increased, 4) community health workers made significantly fewer home visits as a result of additional clinic units and in turn child health care declined significantly, 5) health workers carried out more curative activities and fewer preventive duties, 6) an increase in data collection through defaults in the system lead to non-utilization of the data for policy planning purposes, 7) shortage of staff to support the increased patient load and duties at health centers. Consequently, the health system could not cope with this well intentioned policy change which emphasized shifting from community outreach to health center-based activities.^ieng

Feeding practices of infants, and beliefs of mothers in Western Jamaica.

PIP: An infant feeding survey was carried out in 3 parishes in Cornwall county, Jamaica, from March to August, 1984, in an attempt to determine the feeding patterns of infants and beliefs of mothers in Western Jamaica. 41 Enumeration districts (EDs), were randomly selected from 2 strata, urban and rural, in proportion to the population distribution. 614 households with children under 36 months of age were selected from 41 EDs. The results showed that the presence of breastfeeding was 98%. Despite the high frequency of breastfeeding, infant formula was introduced very early, and only about 1/2 of the mothers introduced semi-solids and solids within a month of the recommended time. The most popular foods, identified as good foods, were also popular weaning foods. There is need for adequate training of both primary and 2ndary health-care staff, and reinforcement of nutrition messages by frontline health workers. The collection of adequate baseline data in evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition education programs is also important.^ieng

Feeding practices of infants, and beliefs of mothers in Western Jamaica

An infant feeding survey was carried out in three parishes in Cornwall County, Jamaica, from March to August, 1984, in an attempt to determine the feeding practices of infants and beliefs of mothers in Western Jamica Forty-one Enumeration Districts (EDs were randomly selected from two strata. urban and rural, in proportion to the population distribution. Six hundred and fourteen households with children under 36 months of age were selected from 41 EDs. The results showed that prevalence of breastfeeding was 98.0%. Despite the high frequency of breastfeeding, infant formula was introduced very early, and only about half of the mothers introduced semi-solids and solids within one month of the recommended time. The most popular foods, identified as good foods, were also popular weaning foods. It is concluded that there is need for adequate rraining of both primary and secondary health-care staff, and reinforcemen of nutrition messages by frontline health workers. The collection of adequate baseline data in evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition education programmes is also important

Infant mortality rate in three parishes of Western Jamaica, 1980.

PIP: The infant mortality rate is a sensitive index of health. However, in recent years, perhaps due to underregistration of deaths, the infant mortality rates for Jamaica, and particularly for certain parishes, have been so low as to make their accuracy questionable. This study sought to establish the infant mortality rates for the parishes of St. James, Hanover and Trelawny during 1980. Information on infant deaths in 1980 was sought from a variety of sources, as was information on live births in the same year. The infant mortality rate (1980) for the combined parishes of St. James, Hanover and Trelawny was estimated to be 27/1000 live births. It was estimated that only 31% of infant deaths in 1980 were registered. Health personnel were much more aware of infant deaths than were the Registrars of Births and Deaths, and hence, the Registrar General. Possible reasons for underregistration of infant deaths are suggested, but the topic requires further research. Attempts should be made to improve the registration of infant deaths.^ieng