Addressing Environmental and Occupational Health Threats in the Caribbean Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference

项目总结

Project Summary The proposed workshop is part of a multi-year commitment to strengthen environmental and occupational health (EOH) capacity in the Caribbean. This research training workshop builds on the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (CCREOH) established in 2012 to address high-priority EOH risks in Suriname and the increasingly vulnerable Caribbean region while preserving the unique assets, health, and cultural traditions of indigenous and other health disparate populations. An assessment of key EOH challenges of Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) member countries revealed five key threats in the region: waste management, indoor air pollution, severe weather events and climate variability, worker exposure to chemical agents, and outdoor air pollution. CARPHA is the single public health agency representing all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, as well as the Caribbean Dutch and UK overseas territories. CARPHA member states have a population of about 18 million and over 90% racial and ethnic minorities. Through ongoing training efforts, particularly an annual EOH research training workshop, we seek to build a cadre of minority EOH scientists to address urgent threats in the Caribbean region. The objectives of this proposal are to 1) address key EOH risks and vulnerabilities in Caribbean countries and 2) strengthen the capacity of low- and middle-income Caribbean countries to address EOH threats. Project activities will entail a 1.5-day EOH research training workshop preceding CARPHA's Annual Health Research Conference to be held in June 2020 in Jamaica. The technical content of the workshop will target the priority topics of occupational exposures, especially those associated with mining and agriculture; food safety; and climate and health. The workshop will feature case-based learning and interactive exercises. The target audience is Caribbean public sector EOH specialists. We will evaluate quality and effectiveness in relation to intended outcomes against a timeline and a logic model. This proposal seeks support for Caribbean EOH specialists that lack the resources, especially travel funds, to participate in the workshop. There is a significant paucity of research publications on EOH in the Caribbean, hence the proposed workshop fills a critical training gap.