Latin America and The Caribbean

Four awards have been made through the Wellcome Trust's £5 million initiative supporting population-based research in Latin America:

Latin America's population has tripled in only 50 years, which has resulted in a young but highly mobile populace. Significant public health successes (such as improved life expectancy at birth) have led to a 'health transition' - that is, the main causes of death and disease have shifted from infectious to non-communicable diseases (e.g. diabetes, which is one of the most serious health problems in Latin America).

The Latin American major awards span many areas of concern to public health arising from shifts in population structure, lifestyle and behaviour patterns. The region offers an excellent science base to address these competing challenges for scarce public health resources. Collaborations between institutions and academic disciplines will strengthen the capacity for research, which can provide an evidence base for public health policy.

The impact of urbanisation, migration and changes in lifestyle and in exposure to infection on frequency atopic diseases in Latin America

Locations
Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil and Quito, Ecuador

Lead researcher
Professor Mauricio Barreto

Activities

The impact of urbanisation, migration and lifestyle changes on allergic diseases in children
Research on the likely mechanism(s) that mediate the effect of population dynamics and lifestyle on allergic diseases
Impact on quality of life and the cost of the diseases on families, society and health care
Identifying specific intervention studies to minimise or avoid the increase in atopic diseases.

The health and nutrition transition in two Brazillian birth cohorts: impact of socioeconomic, behavioural, health care and biological factors on the life course

Location
Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil

Lead researcher
Professor Cesar Victora

Activities
Comparing two large birth cohorts in Pelotas to try to understand how early-life experiences, such as nutrition, socioeconomic status, cultural aspects and healthcare relate to adolescent and adult health.

Costa Rican health ageing: longitudinal study of life course changes in survival, health, and living arrangements and their socioeconomic determinants

Location
Centro Centroamericano de Población (Central American Population Centre), University of Costa Rica

Lead researcher
Professor Luis Rosero-Bixby

Activities

Health and other consequences of population ageing
Documenting social, nutritional, health and healthcare factors to understand the reasons behind longevity and active life expectancy in the country
Collaborations in the region will shed light on the differences between approaches and, together with the Costa Rican experience, should lead to better healthcare policy for the elderly.

Migration, family structures and morbidity from external causes

Location
Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, University of the West Indies

Lead researcher
Dr Elsie Le Franc

Activities

Health issues associated with the rise in 'interpersonal' violence - especially among adolescent and young adults
Investigating possible causal significance of a number of contextual variables, such as family structure, social networks, and instabilities resulting from migration.