2025
Psychiatric genetics in the diverse landscape of Latin American populations
Bruxel E, Rovaris D, Belangero S, Chavarría-Soley G, Cuellar-Barboza A, Martínez-Magaña J, Nagamatsu S, Nievergelt C, Núñez-Ríos D, Ota V, Peterson R, Sloofman L, Adams A, Albino E, Alvarado A, Andrade-Brito D, Arguello-Pascualli P, Bandeira C, Bau C, Bulik C, Buxbaum J, Cappi C, Corral-Frias N, Corrales A, Corsi-Zuelli F, Crowley J, Cupertino R, da Silva B, De Almeida S, De la Hoz J, Forero D, Fries G, Gelernter J, González-Giraldo Y, Grevet E, Grice D, Hernández-Garayua A, Hettema J, Ibáñez A, Ionita-Laza I, Lattig M, Lima Y, Lin Y, López-León S, Loureiro C, Martínez-Cerdeño V, Martínez-Levy G, Melin K, Moreno-De-Luca D, Muniz Carvalho C, Olivares A, Oliveira V, Ormond R, Palmer A, Panzenhagen A, Passos-Bueno M, Peng Q, Pérez-Palma E, Prieto M, Roussos P, Sanchez-Roige S, Santamaría-García H, Shansis F, Sharp R, Storch E, Tavares M, Tietz G, Torres-Hernández B, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Trelles P, Trujillo-ChiVacuan E, Velásquez M, Vera-Urbina F, Voloudakis G, Wegman-Ostrosky T, Zhen-Duan J, Zhou H, Santoro M, Nicolini H, Atkinson E, Giusti-Rodríguez P, Montalvo-Ortiz J. Psychiatric genetics in the diverse landscape of Latin American populations. Nature Genetics 2025, 57: 1074-1088. PMID: 40175716, PMCID: PMC12133068, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-025-02127-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGenome-wide association studiesPsychiatric genomicsPsychiatric genome-wide association studiesLarge-scale genome-wide association studiesGenetic risk lociNon-European populationsGenetic diversityRisk lociGenetic admixtureBurden of psychiatric disordersAssociation studiesPsychiatric disordersEuropean ancestryPsychiatric geneticsGenomeHealthcare disparitiesConsortium effortLatin American populationsPromote equityEnvironmental factorsDiversityAmerican populationDiverse landscapeLociAncestryThe burden of cardiovascular disease in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1990-2019: An analysis of the global burden of disease study
Alhuneafat L, Al Ta'ani O, Arriola-Montenegro J, Al-Ajloun Y, Naser A, Chaponan-Lavalle A, Ordaya-Gonzales K, Pertuz G, Maaita A, Jabri A, Altibi A, Al-Abdouh A, Van't Hof J, Gutierrez Bernal A. The burden of cardiovascular disease in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1990-2019: An analysis of the global burden of disease study. International Journal Of Cardiology 2025, 428: 133143. PMID: 40064205, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2025.133143.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDisability-adjusted life yearsGlobal Burden of DiseaseBurden of cardiovascular diseaseCardiovascular diseaseRisk factorsMortality-to-incidence ratioGlobal burdenIschemic heart diseaseAge-standardized disability-adjusted life yearsGlobal Burden of Disease StudyDisability-adjusted life year ratesBurden of Disease StudyAge-standardized prevalenceComparative risk assessment frameworkCardiovascular disease prevalenceCardiovascular disease burdenBurden of diseaseLeading risk factorHeart diseaseTailored interventionsCountry-specific variationsElevated BMIRate of strokeHealthcare infrastructureSocio-economic factorsAssessing cardiovascular disease risk and social determinants of health: A comparative analysis of five risk estimation instruments using data from the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network
Schwartz J, Howitt C, Raman S, Nair S, Hassan S, Oladele C, Hambleton I, Sarpong D, Adams O, Maharaj R, Nazario C, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M. Assessing cardiovascular disease risk and social determinants of health: A comparative analysis of five risk estimation instruments using data from the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network. PLOS ONE 2025, 20: e0316577. PMID: 39854547, PMCID: PMC11760610, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316577.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCardiovascular disease riskSocial determinants of healthDeterminants of healthSocial determinantsRisk estimation toolsCardiovascular diseaseEstimate 10-year CVD riskCVD riskEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research NetworkCardiovascular disease risk estimatesHigh riskHigher level of educationHistory of cardiovascular diseaseHigher CVD riskMultivariate logistic regression modelEthnically diverse populationsResource-constrained settingsLogistic regression modelsNon-professional occupationsSDoH variablesLevel of educationSDoHPerceived social statusRisk toolFramingham
2024
Peripheral Arterial Disease prevalence and risk factors in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort
Adams O, Galusha D, Martinez-Brockman J, Morris E, Hassan S, Maharaj R, Nazario C, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M. Peripheral Arterial Disease prevalence and risk factors in the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) cohort. PLOS ONE 2024, 19: e0306918. PMID: 39186495, PMCID: PMC11346651, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306918.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research NetworkAnkle brachial indexPeripheral arterial disease prevalencePeripheral arterial diseasePotential risk factorsSample of community-dwelling peopleRisk factorsCommunity-dwelling peopleAssociation of potential risk factorsFemale sexLower educational attainmentHistory of heart diseaseRisk factors of peripheral arterial diseaseCohort Study participantsAssociated with peripheral arterial diseaseHigh school educationHeart diseaseBody mass indexMultivariate logistic regressionOscillometric deviceAssociation of increasing ageSmoking statusYears of ageStudy participantsHeart disease historyA systems thinking framework for understanding rising childhood obesity in the Caribbean
Guariguata L, Burlar A, Greaves N, Harewood H, Khan R, Rosario-Rosado R, Jones W, Roy B, Hassan S. A systems thinking framework for understanding rising childhood obesity in the Caribbean. Health Research Policy And Systems 2024, 22: 115. PMID: 39169406, PMCID: PMC11337753, DOI: 10.1186/s12961-024-01201-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChildhood obesityReduce rates of childhood obesityComplexity of childhood obesityRising childhood obesity ratesRates of childhood obesityChildhood obesity ratesObesity ratesCommercial determinantsSystems thinking frameworkMulti-disciplinary stakeholdersConclusionsDespite differencesObesityObjectiveThe aimPersonal experienceVirtual meetingsMulti-facetedChildhoodPolicy solutionsReinforcing loopsPuerto RicoPotential areasStakeholdersInterventionUS Virgin IslandsFacilitationTravel surveillance uncovers dengue virus dynamics and introductions in the Caribbean
Taylor-Salmon E, Hill V, Paul L, Koch R, Breban M, Chaguza C, Sodeinde A, Warren J, Bunch S, Cano N, Cone M, Eysoldt S, Garcia A, Gilles N, Hagy A, Heberlein L, Jaber R, Kassens E, Colarusso P, Davis A, Baudin S, Rico E, Mejía-Echeverri Á, Scott B, Stanek D, Zimler R, Muñoz-Jordán J, Santiago G, Adams L, Paz-Bailey G, Spillane M, Katebi V, Paulino-Ramírez R, Mueses S, Peguero A, Sánchez N, Norman F, Galán J, Huits R, Hamer D, Vogels C, Morrison A, Michael S, Grubaugh N. Travel surveillance uncovers dengue virus dynamics and introductions in the Caribbean. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 3508. PMID: 38664380, PMCID: PMC11045810, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47774-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsCaribbean RegionDengueDengue VirusDisease OutbreaksEpidemiological MonitoringHumansPhylogenySerogroupTravelConceptsDengue virusDENV-3Rates of severe diseaseMosquito-borne viral diseasePublic health threatPattern of spreadSevere diseaseLocal surveillanceGenomic epidemiologyEpidemiological patternsVirus surveillanceSurveillanceHealth threatSerotypesDiseaseIncreased rateDengueViral diseasesVirusInfected travelersFrequent outbreaks
2023
Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st Edition: A landmark for cancer prevention in the region
Schüz J, Espina C, Carvalho A, Maza M, Luciani S, Cazap E, Hennis A, Weiderpass E. Latin America and the Caribbean Code Against Cancer 1st Edition: A landmark for cancer prevention in the region. Cancer Epidemiology 2023, 86: 102453. PMID: 37852730, DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102453.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA declaration on the value of experiential measures of food and water insecurity to improve science and policies in Latin America and the Caribbean
Melgar-Quiñonez H, Gaitán-Rossi P, Pérez-Escamilla R, Shamah-Levy T, Teruel-Belismelis G, Young S. A declaration on the value of experiential measures of food and water insecurity to improve science and policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. International Journal For Equity In Health 2023, 22: 184. PMID: 37670356, PMCID: PMC10481585, DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-01956-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStructural violence and the uncertainty of viral undetectability for African, Caribbean and Black people living with HIV in Canada: an institutional ethnography
Odhiambo A, O’Campo P, Nelson L, Forman L, Grace D. Structural violence and the uncertainty of viral undetectability for African, Caribbean and Black people living with HIV in Canada: an institutional ethnography. International Journal For Equity In Health 2023, 22: 33. PMID: 36797746, PMCID: PMC9935247, DOI: 10.1186/s12939-022-01792-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAcquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAnthropology, CulturalBlack PeopleCanadaCaribbean RegionHIV InfectionsHumansUncertaintyViolenceConceptsStructural violenceACB peopleBlack peopleSocial fabricInstitutional practicesBlack communityHealth policy actorsPrecarious immigration statusSocial determinantsAnti-Black racismHIV/AIDSCriminalization of HIVPolicy actorsInstitutional ethnographyHIV discourseSocial workersHousing instabilityDepth interviewsImmigration statusSocial worldBiomedical discoursePrivileged individualsFrontline workersFood insecurityRacial discrimination
2022
HIV and COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean
Garcia PJ, Cabrera DM, Cárcamo PM, Diaz MM. HIV and COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Current HIV/AIDS Reports 2022, 19: 37-45. PMID: 35092570, PMCID: PMC8799981, DOI: 10.1007/s11904-021-00589-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsClinical courseCOVID-19Small case seriesOnly case reportsInteraction of HIVCase seriesCase reportRecent FindingsDataGeneral populationPLWHHIV responseHIVHealth systemVulnerable populationsClinic implicationsLongitudinal studyCOVID-19 pandemicPandemicFindingsDataPopulationCareCoursePrevention
2021
Aging with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: a Systematic Review
Cabrera DM, Diaz MM, Grimshaw A, Salvatierra J, Garcia PJ, Hsieh E. Aging with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: a Systematic Review. Current HIV/AIDS Reports 2021, 18: 1-47. PMID: 33400168, PMCID: PMC8059362, DOI: 10.1007/s11904-020-00538-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-communicable diseasesSystematic reviewCommon non-communicable diseasesChronic non-communicable diseasesAntiretroviral treatment programLongitudinal studyPrevalence of illnessPurpose of ReviewWithAge-related findingsChronic comorbiditiesOlder PWHMiddle-income countriesHIVSummaryOur resultsScreening instrumentTreatment programPopulation 40Recent FindingsOfPWHAvailable evidencePeer-reviewed literatureSignificant predictorsComorbiditiesAgeBurden
2020
Management Of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases After Natural Disasters In The Caribbean: A Scoping Review
Hassan S, Nguyen M, Buchanan M, Grimshaw A, Adams OP, Hassell T, Ragster L, Nunez-Smith M. Management Of Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases After Natural Disasters In The Caribbean: A Scoping Review. Health Affairs 2020, 39: 2136-2143. PMID: 33284688, PMCID: PMC8142319, DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic noncommunicable diseasesNoncommunicable diseasesChronic disease self-management education programsSelf-management education programAcute care servicesPercent of deathsResilient health systemsDisease surveillance systemsReview of literatureNCD managementCare servicesHealth systemNational disaster preparednessMedicationsScoping ReviewHigh rateDiseaseCommunication difficultiesSurveillance systemAppropriate foodReviewEducation programsDisaster preparednessManagementVolunteersStandardized treatment to improve hypertension control in primary health care: The HEARTS in the Americas Initiative
DiPette DJ, Goughnour K, Zuniga E, Skeete J, Ridley E, Angell S, Brettler J, Campbell NRC, Coca A, Connell K, Doon R, Jaffe M, Lopez‐Jaramillo P, Moran A, Orias M, Pineiro DJ, Rosende A, González YV, Ordunez P. Standardized treatment to improve hypertension control in primary health care: The HEARTS in the Americas Initiative. Journal Of Clinical Hypertension 2020, 22: 2285-2295. PMID: 33045133, PMCID: PMC8029673, DOI: 10.1111/jch.14072.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMeSH KeywordsAntihypertensive AgentsCaribbean RegionHumansHypertensionLatin AmericaPrimary Health CareConceptsAntihypertensive medicationsCardiovascular diseaseTreatment protocolHypertension controlBurden of CVDCVD secondary preventionEffective antihypertensive medicationsMajor hypertension guidelinesRisk factor mitigationControl of hypertensionFixed-dose combinationPrimary health carePost-program implementationCommunity-based programsHypertension guidelinesSecondary preventionBlood pressureCVD burdenInitial treatmentPharmacologic protocolRisk factorsStandardized treatmentMedication formulariesSingle pillHypertensionTaking stock of vaccine hesitancy among migrants: a scoping review protocol
Tankwanchi AS, Jaca A, Larson HJ, Wiysonge CS, Vermund SH. Taking stock of vaccine hesitancy among migrants: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2020, 10: e035225. PMID: 32404392, PMCID: PMC7228513, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035225.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVaccine-preventable diseasesVaccine hesitancySystematic reviewAllied Health LiteraturePeer-reviewed open access journalsAfrica-Wide InformationJoanna Briggs InstitutePreferred Reporting ItemsMeta-Analyses extensionWeb of ScienceWorld Health AssemblyScoping Reviews checklistCochrane LibraryVaccination servicesFull systematic reviewGlobal Action PlanCumulative IndexReporting ItemsEthical approvalComplementary medicineHealth LiteratureIndex MedicusReview protocolHealth AssemblyHesitancyToward Reducing Health Information Inequities in the Caribbean: Our Experience Building a Participatory Health Informatics Project.
Wang K, Hambleton I, Linnander E, Marenco L, Hassan S, Kumara M, Fredericks LE, Harrigan S, Hasse TA, Brandt C, Nunez-Smith M. Toward Reducing Health Information Inequities in the Caribbean: Our Experience Building a Participatory Health Informatics Project. Ethnicity & Disease 2020, 30: 193-202. PMID: 32269461, PMCID: PMC7138447, DOI: 10.18865/ed.30.s1.193.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHealth information systemsInformation systemsSharing of dataData infrastructureHealth informatics projectsDisparate sourcesExperience buildingInformatics projectsInformatics approachInformation inequitiesTransdisciplinary Collaborative CenterPrecision medicinePrecision medicine approachSharingInfrastructureHealth disparitiesMedicine approachSystemHealth of peoplePotential mechanismsTechnologyCollaborative CenterIntegrationData
2019
Egocentric Health Networks and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the ECHORN Cohort Study
Oladele CR, Thompson TA, Wang K, Galusha D, Tran E, Martinez-Brockman JL, Adams OP, Maharaj RG, Nazario CM, Nunez M, Nunez-Smith M. Egocentric Health Networks and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the ECHORN Cohort Study. Journal Of General Internal Medicine 2019, 35: 784-791. PMID: 31823310, PMCID: PMC7080938, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-019-05550-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultCardiovascular DiseasesCaribbean RegionCohort StudiesHeart Disease Risk FactorsHumansRisk FactorsConceptsCVD risk factorsRisk factorsHealth NetworkCohort studyCardiovascular diseaseEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort StudyCVD risk factor reductionCardiovascular risk factorsRisk factor reductionBackground Cardiovascular diseaseCause of morbidityOngoing longitudinal cohortLarge health networkHealth-related mattersLongitudinal cohortAdults 40Name generator questionsPhysical activityGreater oddsHealthcare professionalsBaseline surveyMean network sizeHealthcare decisionsFactor reductionMore studiesPhenotypes of Hypertensive Ambulatory Blood Pressure Patterns: Design and Rationale of the ECHORN Hypertension Study.
Spatz ES, Martinez-Brockman JL, Tessier-Sherman B, Mortazavi B, Roy B, Schwartz JI, Nazario CM, Maharaj R, Nunez M, Adams OP, Burg M, Nunez-Smith M. Phenotypes of Hypertensive Ambulatory Blood Pressure Patterns: Design and Rationale of the ECHORN Hypertension Study. Ethnicity & Disease 2019, 29: 535-544. PMID: 31641320, PMCID: PMC6802166, DOI: 10.18865/ed.29.4.535.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAmbulatory blood pressure measurementsABPM patternsBP patternAmbulatory blood pressure patternsMore precision-based approachesAmbulatory BP patternsDiagnosis of HTNTreatment of HTNBlood pressure patternWave 2High-risk populationBlood pressure measurementsCommunity-residing adultsPrecision-based approachesAntihypertensive medicationsBlood pressureProspective studyHypertension StudyHypertensive phenotypeCardiovascular diseaseParent studyHTNEcological momentary assessmentSelf-report surveyHigh ratePreparing for emerging infections means expecting new syndemics
Carlson C, Mendenhall E. Preparing for emerging infections means expecting new syndemics. The Lancet 2019, 394: 297. PMID: 31354135, DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(19)31237-1.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2018
Strengthening institutional capacity for equitable health research: lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean
Tulloch-Reid MK, Saravia NG, Dennis RJ, Jaramillo A, Cuervo LG, Walker SP, Salicrup LA. Strengthening institutional capacity for equitable health research: lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean. The BMJ 2018, 362: k2456. PMID: 30012634, PMCID: PMC6046649, DOI: 10.1136/bmj.k2456.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-communicable chronic diseases and timely breast cancer screening among women of the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort Study
Wang KH, Thompson TA, Galusha D, Friedman H, Nazario CM, Nunez M, Maharaj RG, Adams OP, Nunez-Smith M, on behalf of the ECHORN Writing Group. Non-communicable chronic diseases and timely breast cancer screening among women of the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort Study. Cancer Causes & Control 2018, 29: 315-324. PMID: 29423760, PMCID: PMC6587190, DOI: 10.1007/s10552-018-1005-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-communicable chronic diseasesTimely breast cancer screeningBreast cancer screeningChronic diseasesCancer screeningBreast cancerEastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) Cohort StudyUsual sourceReceipt of mammographyChronic disease controlCohort studyEligible womenCancer deathCross-sectional data analysisPreventive screeningCancer preventionSubstantial burdenClinical providersTimely screeningDiabetesTimely mammographyBivariate analysisHypertensionDisease controlDisease
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