NCDs Archives - Lake Health and Wellbeing

Tag: NCDs

April 30, 2023

PowerPoint and Digital Marketing

On April 28th, 2023, the EmpowHer project held a successful workshop focused on PowerPoint and Digital Marketing for women living with chronic health conditions. The workshop was the third in a series of IT workshops facilitated by Keisha Archibald, the Business Development Manager at EZone. The session was split into two parts: one hour on PowerPoint led by Ms Archibald and one hour on Digital Marketing which was led by guest speaker Ms Kelly Louisy.

The topics for this workshop were selected based on feedback received from women who attended our previous IT workshops and confirmed the information that we had gathered on the need to empower women living with NCDs with practical skills to enable them to thrive in this new digital era.

The ability to use PowerPoint is important as it equips individuals them with an additional skill for job success, specifically confidence and creativity when it comes to public speaking. Whilst Digital Marketing is essential in helping expand a person’s reach, creating a personal brand, and thus generating income. Together, these skills work hand in hand to help women build their public persona which can thus improve their job prospects as well as lead to business success. This can then put them in a position to better manage their chronic illness and thus live full, successful lives.

We were therefore, delighted that all attendees were highly satisfied with this workshop describing the session as “great” and “really good.” Furthermore, participants reported that they are highly likely to use what they had learnt during the session and that they felt more confident using PowerPoint and about digital marketing.

“The presenters were really good. Feel more confident playing with all the features. Going to be experimenting with branding.”

Workshop Attendee

EmpowHer Project

In conclusion, the EmpowHer workshop on PowerPoint and Digital Marketing was a success, and the positive feedback from the participants shows that it was highly useful for their personal and professional development. The EmpowHer project is committed to continuing to empower women with the skills they need to succeed, and we look forward to organising more workshops in the future.

We are very grateful to Ms Archibald and Ms Louisy for their valuable contributions to this workshop.

By admin

BlogEmpowHer

April 25, 2023

Amplifying Your Voice

On April 22nd, 2023, the EmpowHer project held an online workshop titled “Amplifying Your Voice.” The goal of the workshop was to empower women living with chronic health conditions through self-advocacy. The workshop was led by Julia Mandeville and Vania Patrick-Drakes from the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and PCOS. The workshop covered the foundation of health literacy, the principles and benefits of self-advocacy, and goal setting.

The participants found the content to be thorough yet simple and adaptable. They appreciated the guidelines for self-advocacy, the personal bill of rights, the different types of self-advocacy and the sharing of testimonies from other participants.

Participants said they were ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to use the skills they learned in the workshop, and participants reported feeling more confident speaking up and advocating for themselves as a result of the workshop.

“The entire presentation serves as confirmation for me to continue advocating for myself and for others.”

Workshop Attendee

EmpowHer Project

In conclusion, the “Amplifying Your Voice” workshop was successful in empowering women living with chronic health conditions through self-advocacy. The workshop provided valuable information and skills that participants can use to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions about their health.

By admin

BlogEmpowHer

April 17, 2023

Excel Empowerment Workshop

Women living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) need to have IT skills in today’s digital age. Excel is one of the most commonly used software for data entry, analysis, and management. Having Excel skills can help women with chronic illnesses track their condition, manage their daily activities and improve their professional skills, making them more competitive in the job market. Equipping them with additional skills like these is essential in empowering women. Therefore, as part of our EmpowHer project, we facilitated an Excel workshop for women living with chronic health conditions. The workshop was held on 13th April 2023, and it was facilitated by Keisha Archibald, the Business Development Manager at Ezone and was the second workshop in Ms Archibald series on Navigating the Digital World.

The workshop was practical, allowing attendees to work on a budget which allowed a range of topics to be explored, including how to sort and filter data, formulas, concatenation, rules, combining information from multiple cells, and more. The step-by-step nature of the workshop and the interactive nature of the session made it very engaging and enjoyable.

All attendees were very satisfied with the workshop with the presenter’s knowledge being highlighted as one of the most beneficial aspects as well as the step-by-step nature of the workshop and being able to practice Excel and learn how to navigate through the different features.

Participants reported feeling ‘more confident’ using Excel as a result of the workshop and stated that were ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to use the skills learned. When asked about what skills they plan to use, the responses varied from using Excel to create a budget and present business reports to improving daily work skills and creating charts and graphs.

"The presenter was excellent and knowledgeable."

Workshop Attendee

EmpowHer Project

In conclusion, the Excel workshop for women living with chronic health conditions was a success. The highly practical approach taken by Ms Archibald, coupled with the step-by-step guidance helped participants to gain the necessary skills to use Excel effectively. The positive feedback from participants underscores the importance of providing IT skills to women living with NCDs. Our EmpowHer project remains committed to empowering women living with chronic health conditions.

By admin

BlogEmpowHer

April 4, 2023

Navigating the Digital World

Providing women living with NCDs with IT training is crucial in today’s digital age. It enables them to access health information, connect with others, and manage their conditions effectively. On March 30th, 2023, we hosted a workshop on Navigating the Digital World, facilitated by Keisha Archibald, IT Specialist and the Business Development Manager at eZone.

In this blog post, we present feedback from the participants, including what they found most helpful, skills they plan to use and additional comments and feedback

The Importance of IT Training for Women Living with NCDs

Women living with NCDs face numerous challenges in managing their conditions. Inaccessibility to information, inadequate health systems, and lack of access to healthcare providers can lead to poor health outcomes. However, technology provides an opportunity to improve the lives of these women. IT training equips them with the skills and knowledge to access health information, connect with healthcare providers, and manage their conditions effectively.

About the Workshop

The Navigating the Digital World workshop aimed to provide participants with essential IT skills to improve their daily lives. The workshop covered various topics, including productivity tools, navigating email, and cybersecurity. The workshop was attended by 11 out of the 16 registered participants.

Feedback from Participants

Overall, the majority of participants (10) were very satisfied with the workshop, while one participant was satisfied. Participants found the many ways IT can improve everyday functions, productivity tools, and helpful ways to navigate emails, among others, the most helpful aspects of the workshop. No participant found anything least useful about the workshop.

Regarding the skills they plan to use, the majority of participants mentioned using Zoho for invoicing and enhancing their business records. Other tools like ChatGTP, Quickbooks, PowerPoint features, and learning about security and passwords were also mentioned. Eight participants said they feel more confident using IT after the workshop.

In terms of additional comments and feedback, participants were highly appreciative of Keisha’s excellent presentation and expressed eagerness for more practical sessions covering Excel Spreadsheet, Graphic design, and Invitations. Participants also suggested offering further training, even if it has a cost, to expand their knowledge and skillset.

Conclusion

The Navigating the Digital World workshop provided participants with essential IT skills and knowledge, empowering them to manage their health conditions and improve their daily lives. The feedback received from participants indicates that the workshop was successful and beneficial to them. We appreciate the participants’ feedback and suggestions, and we plan to incorporate them in our future workshops to enhance the learning experience. Providing women living with NCDs with IT training is critical in today’s digital age, and we remain committed to equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate the digital world effectively.

By admin

BlogEmpowHer

April 2, 2023

EmpowHer Reflections

In today’s blog post, we are thrilled to share insights from Terysia Herbert-Browne, our Consultant Project Officer for the EmpowHer project. Terysia offers her unique perspective on the project’s impact thus far. Join us as we explore the journey of EmpowHer and how it’s empowering women to reach their full potential.

EmpowHer is a woman-led initiative that hopes to equip women living with chronic diseases with the tools needed to achieve success in their personal and professional lives. The project taking off during Women’s History month 2023 is quite fitting. So far we have had a cohort of dope, ambitious, women partake in our workshops. Our participants have engaged in workshops around budgeting and financial wellness; how to embark on successful entrepreneurial ventures; best practices for navigating success within their career as well as tools for self-management of chronic diseases in the workplace. I am proud to seeing the participants actively taking part and getting the most of out of the workshops. I am especially impressed by our facilitators most of whom are local women in various career fields, each at the top of their games in their respective careers while also actively working to improve the lives of women around them. The saying “Empowered women, empower women’ comes to mind, and I think our facilitators are fantastic examples for our providing another invaluable aspect of the initiative.

While I do wish to see more women in the federation take advantage of this powerful workshop series, I am very proud of our current cohort; I mean we have a wide range of awesomeness! From PhD candidates to veteran entrepreneurs to women involved in multiple business ventures. These ladies are already doing the work to ensure that they and their families are well taken care of. Being a part of this initiative has left me both humbled and inspired. I think one of the most powerful results of Empowher is the networking opportunities it brought about. We have women from all walks of life discussing their goals and realizing the potential for collaboration. I also think being surrounded by like-minded, go-getter women has given a lot of us the validation we didn’t know we needed to go forth and conquer our dreams. Women of St. Kitts/Nevis have always been hard workers, so that’s nothing new, what I am seeing recently is a shift in the power dynamic. We are being more intentional in our pursuits, we are working smarter, identifying ways to support our families while still being present, we know our worth and are charging accordingly.

The EmpowHer project set out to ensure women had the tools needed to live the best version of their lives, and while I think it is accomplishing that task, I think we also got to see “iron sharpen iron” an outcome we didn’t fully expect, but absolutely welcome. I’m excited to see how the ideas and collaborations birthed during the EmpowHer workshops translate into new jobs and business ventures and ultimately future success for our participants.

By admin

BlogDiet

March 7, 2023

Salt Awareness Week

Salt Awareness Week is an annual event held every March to raise awareness about the dangers of consuming too much salt and the importance of reducing our salt intake. This year, Salt Awareness Week takes place from March 4th to March 11th.

Excessive salt consumption is a significant public health issue that is linked to a range of health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. These non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a growing concern in many countries worldwide, including St. Kitts and Nevis.

The World Health Organization recommends that adults should consume no more than 5 grams (about one teaspoon) of salt per day. However, the average person consumes much more than this amount, often without realizing it. Many processed and packaged foods, as well as restaurant meals, contain high amounts of salt.

Reducing salt intake is crucial to maintaining good health and preventing NCDs. Here are some useful tips to help you reduce your salt consumption:

Read food labels: Check the labels of packaged foods to find out how much salt they contain. Choose lower-salt options when possible.
Cook from scratch: Cooking from scratch allows you to control the amount of salt you add to your meals. Try using herbs, spices, and citrus juice instead of salt to add flavour to your dishes.
Limit processed and packaged foods: Processed and packaged foods tend to be high in salt. Try to limit your consumption of these foods, and choose fresh, whole foods instead.
Eat more fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in salt and high in nutrients. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Use salt substitutes: Salt substitutes such as potassium chloride can be used in place of salt to reduce your sodium intake. However, if you have kidney problems or are taking certain medications, talk to your doctor before using salt substitutes.

In addition to these tips, it’s essential to be aware of the salt content of restaurant meals. Many restaurant dishes, especially fast food, are high in salt. If you eat out frequently, try to choose lower-salt options, or ask for your food to be prepared without added salt.

During Salt Awareness Week, we’re reminded of the importance of reducing our salt intake to maintain good health and prevent NCDs. By making small changes to our diet and lifestyle, we can reduce our risk of developing these conditions and live healthier, happier lives.

By admin

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

February 14, 2023

SKN’s First National NCD Conference

The Ministry of Health in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Pan-American Health Organisation recently hosted the inaugural National Non-Communicable Diseases Conference, which was held from February 7th to 9th at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.

The conference aimed to bring together government officials, health experts, civil society and private sector representatives to discuss non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their impact on the country.

NCDs, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease, are some of the biggest challenges facing global public health. They are responsible for a staggering 70% of all deaths worldwide and pose a major threat to human development and economic progress. With this in mind, the conference assessed the current NCD situation, established commitment from all sectors to contribute to efforts to reduce the impact of NCDs on St. Kitts and Nevis and provided stakeholders with the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Multi-sectoral Plan of Action for NCDs.

This event featured a range of presentations on various aspects of NCDs, including the impact of the pandemic on NCDs, innovative approaches to NCD prevention and management, and the role of civil society in advocacy and policy development.

Speakers included:

Taraleen Malcolm, Advisor, Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health, PAHO
Dr Heather Armstrong, Acting Head of Chronic Disease and Injury, CARPHA
Dr Hazel Laws, Chief Medical Officer, St Kitts and Nevis
Dr Marissa Carty, NCD Programme Coordinator, Ministry of Health, St Kitts and Nevis
Roger McLean, Research Fellow & Lecturer, University of the West Indies
Sheneil Isles, Director of Community-based Health Services

We were honoured to have been a speaker at this conference too. Our Programme Director, Abi Begho, delivered a presentation on Health Policy Advocacy and the Role of Civil Society. Begho discussed the importance of civil society organizations in advocating for NCD prevention and management policies that are equitable, evidence-based, and inclusive.

She also highlighted the role of civil society in raising awareness about NCDs, monitoring government performance, and engaging communities in NCD prevention and management efforts.

Additionally, during the opening ceremony special guests, Hon. Jahnel Nisbett, Minister of Health, Gender Affairs, Social Services & Community Development in Nevis and Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister and Minister of Health, St Kitts and Nevis provided remarks.

Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, highlighted the significance of the NCDs in the country as the leading cause of morbidity, accounting for 62% of all deaths and emphasized the need for a collaborative approach and funding for sustainable interventions to address NCDs. Additionally, the Prime Minister discussed the importance of promoting healthy living and implementing innovative interventions to address the NCD situation in the country. Whilst Hon Nisbett provided an important reminder that there is still much work left to be done to tackle NCDs and emphasized the significance of starting interventions early in the public’s lives to shape their future behaviour.

The conference was a valuable opportunity for participants to exchange ideas, share best practices, and work towards a shared goal of reducing the burden of NCDs. The discussions and insights generated at the conference will help inform future policy and action on NCDs, nationally.

In conclusion, the inaugural National Non-Communicable Diseases Conference was a successful and important event that brought together experts and stakeholders from across sectors to discuss the latest developments and strategies for preventing and managing NCDs. With the growing global burden of NCDs, it is crucial that we continue to work together to find effective solutions and build a healthier future for all.

By admin

Health PolicyYou're Sweet Enough

September 5, 2022

Health Policy Forum

On Thursday 28^th July 2022, we hosted a Health Policy Forum for Civil Servants in St. Kitts and Nevis at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.

The objective of this forum was to bring together civil servants from various government ministries and departments to engage them in an in-depth discussion about the multi-sectoral implications of implementing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, SSB sale and marketing restrictions and front-of-pack warning labels as policies to support the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

There were twenty participants representing ten government departments in St. Kitts and the departments represented included:

- - St. Kitts Ministry of Health
  - Nevis Health Promotion Unit
  - Nevis Mental Health Unit
  - Nevis Trade and Consumer Affairs
  - Nevis Ministry of Education
  - St. Kitts and Nevis Legal Department
  - St. Kitts Dept. of Gender Affairs
  - St. Kitts Dept. of Labour
  - St. Kitts Bureau of Standards
  - St. Kitts Drug Council

The Forum agenda was split into two parts. During part one, attendees received information from presenters about the impetus behind advocacy for health policies on NCD prevention and control. Presentations provided key information about current NCD rates and health challenges faced locally and regionally, the recommended evidence-based policies being championed by WHO/PAHO, and case study analyses and reports on the effectiveness of health taxes in similar jurisdictions. The presentation agenda went as follows (click each to view slides or listen to a clip from presentations):

The Role of Government Policy in Combatting NCDs by Dr Patrice Lawrence-Williams, Advisor, Non-Communicable Disease and Mental Health, PAHO
Policy Proposals for the Prevention and Control of NCDs in St. Kitts and Nevis by Dr Marissa Carty, NCD Coordinator, Ministry of Health, Kitts and Nevis
Our Experience of Developing and Implementing a Sugar Tax by Dr Virloy Lewin, Health Promotion Coordinator, Department of Health, Bermuda
Fiscal Health Policies by Dr Evan Blecher, Economist, Global Tax Program, The World Bank

For part two of the forum, attendees were divided into three breakout groups to discuss the implications of implementing each policy recommendation being considered. Each group was asked to consider the following questions:

How does the ___ sector play a part/consider their role in the prevention and control of NCDs in St. Kitts and Nevis?
What are the implications of implementing an SSB tax on each respective sector?
What are the sector-specific or general considerations for restricting the sale and marketing of SSBs in schools?
What are the sector-specific or general considerations for implementing front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL)?

Attendees had a robust discussion on each of these questions and provided some useful insight on how each policy area might affect each government department and how each department can support the implementation of these policies.

This was a very enjoyable and informative day and we would like to thank all our speakers (PAHO, the World Bank, the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health the Bermuda Department of Health) who provided some excellent background information which helped set the scene for the discussion session.

For more detailed information on the points raised during the discussion session, you can download the forum report below.

By admin

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)You're Sweet Enough

September 10, 2021

Our Panel Discussion on NCDs

On 25^th August 2021, as part of our You’re Sweet Enough week, we were delighted to host a panel discussion exploring an all-of-society approach to tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promoting healthy drinking and eating.

This event was part of a collaboration with the Ministry of Health and formed part of their seven-week SKN Moves campaign. Now in its second year, SKN Moves falls under the Caribbean Moves program which seeks to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the region by focusing on healthy eating, physical activity, and age-appropriate health checks.

NCDs in St Kitts and Nevis

NCDs are the major public health challenge in St Kitts and Nevis Specifically, 54% of adults have at least one chronic illness, and before the pandemic, the Nevis Island Administration reported that 85% of hospital admissions were NCD-related (PAHO 2012; Ministry of Health). Additionally, 83% of deaths in St Kitts and Nevis are due to NCDs (Ministry of Health). Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes in St Kitts and Nevis is three times higher than the world average, and our hypertension prevalence is 9% higher than the global average.

With so many people in St Kitts and Nevis being affected by NCDs, it is important for us to focus on prevention and control strategies and our You’re Sweet Enough campaign has been focusing on one NCD risk factor, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Our campaign aims to raise awareness of the harmful health effects of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks and sports drinks, and to encourage everyone to drink water as the healthy alternative.

Due to the very high level of sugar in SSBs, their regular consumption has been linked to weight gain and obesity, and being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Research has shown that 45% of adults and 26% of children in St Kitts and Nevis are obese, and that this is contributing to the high rate of NCDs in the Federation.

By reducing SSB consumption, we can reduce a major source of sugar in our diets and this can lead to a reduction in NCD risk and related death and disability.

Our Panel Discussion

The panel discussion we hosted on 25^th August, aimed to bring together representatives from a variety of sectors to explore how we can all work together to tackle risk factors like SSB consumption. This discussion was moderated by Isalean Phillip, our Advocacy and Research Officer and panelists included:

Dr Marissa Carty, NCD Coordinator, St Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health
Dr Al Pierre, VP of the St Kitts and Nevis Medical and Dental Association
Andre Huie, Director of SKN Newsline
Jalanie Belle, a member of the St Kitts National Youth Parliament Association
Pastor Philip Webbe, a member of the St Kitts Evangelical Association

We had a very informative and insightful discussion on the prevention and control of NCDs. We touched on policies like SSB taxation, making healthy foods more affordable, public education and the marketing of healthy and unhealthy foods, and more. It was great to have youth representation on the panel from the St Kitts National Youth Parliament. They voiced their concern at the high rate of childhood obesity and called for action.

We would like to thank all the panelists for taking part in this discussion and Isalean for so ably moderating this important conversation. You can watch the recording of the event below and please feel free to leave any comments or questions that you may have in the comments section below, we would love to hear from you.