For who and when should we intervene in other’s health: An exploratory study of Aruba as a possible case of other small island states.
Vanrumste Bart Sultan, Salys Laclé, Francis
Vanrumste Bart
Citations
Altmetric:
Keyword
Location research
Date
2023
Language
English
ISSN
ISBN
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
This presentation is aimed at researchers in small island states that are studying disease burden in environments where data is limited and incomplete. We share the available data sources, tools, and analysis techniques to address some of these challenges. The research questions are what diseases or disease categories give the most burden, and when should healthcare interventions be considered. Our results are as follows. The Aruban population experienced an overall increase in life expectancy, as well as an increase in national healthcare insurance costs that proportionally coincides with population ageing. However, the burden of disease (years of life lost due to disability or disease), as defined by the World Health Organization, is not known due to lack of data . To help answer the two research questions, we studied statistical and scientific publications, and conducted outreach to the neighboring island of Curaçao. The latter led to limited mortality data between 1999 and 2015. Based on cumulative analysis we have identified a group of top four causes of death, all cardiovascular that exhibit the strongest upward trend. Non-standardized mortality ratios for all ages show that between 1999 and 2015, mortality ratios have seen a decline in this group. However, when considering yearly differences per age category we see non-linear increases from age 40 upwards. Our findings for this given period show that for this probable largest group of amenable disease, preventive human suffering can be optimally reduced by intervening at the younger age of 40. To conclude, this exploratory study shares challenges encountered and methods for practice and research that were used to overcome these challenges. This study acts as a case that could help small island researchers during the development of targeted healthcare interventions in environments that contain limited information on the burden of disease. Data collection and partnerships with all stakeholders are crucial for risk management and increasing community resilience. Data management tools, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Operational Analysis Simulations of Integrated Systems (OASIS) can be leveraged to increase understanding of underlying hydrologic and management processes and vulnerabilities. SCADA systems improve efficiency, functionality and are responsible for network data communication and graphical user interfaces. OASIS is a mass balance water analytical and simulation software that captures the operating hydrologic rules and has applications in river basin management, hydropower, water supply and conflict resolution. OASIS utilizes historical data to validate hydrologic models and facilitates prompt and informed decisions in the face of the future problematic events. This talk will explore the use of these tools in increasing communication and efficacy of management plans.
Citation
Laclé, F., Vanrumste B., Sultan, S. (2023, May). For who and when should we intervene in other’s health: An exploratory study of Aruba as a possible case of other small island states. At Sustainable Islands Solutions through STEM symposium, University of Aruba, Aruba/Online.
Sponsorship
This publication was funded by the European Union (FED/2019/406–549).
Publisher
Journal
Target group
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14473/1015