Washington D.C., April 19, 2024 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently convened a workshop in collaboration with health officials and experts from Aruba to analyze data from the STEPS survey, aiming to enhance health policies and interventions in the region.
Attended by public health officers, policy advisors, and epidemiologists from the Ministry of Tourism and Public Health and the Department of Public Health of Aruba, the workshop focused on scrutinizing the findings of the STEPS survey conducted in 2023. The survey, executed between March and July 2023, encompassed a wide array of health aspects including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol levels, lifestyle counseling, cancer screening, and mental health.
The results underscored the significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their associated risk factors, highlighting challenges for the health system in effectively addressing and implementing tailored policies and interventions. The official unveiling of the STEPS survey results is scheduled for May 17th in a public event organized by Aruba health authorities.
Over the course of three days, participants engaged in dissecting the survey outcomes and deliberating on strategies to prioritize health services, monitor population-wide interventions, and bolster national surveillance capabilities. The workshop brought together experts in various NCD areas including tobacco control, alcohol misuse, nutrition, physical activity, and primary healthcare.
Key areas identified for further action included combating overweight and obesity, addressing alcohol consumption, and enhancing disease management, particularly focusing on hypertension, diabetes, and cancer screening. Participants also delved into PAHO’s innovative initiative, Better Care for NCDs, which advocates for an integrated approach to improve NCD management at the primary healthcare level.
Better Care for NCDs emphasizes early intervention through standardized diagnosis and treatment protocols, aiming to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care to mitigate premature mortality and address the primary concerns identified within the country. The initiative underscores the importance of identifying population needs, community engagement, capacity-building for primary care providers, and ensuring access to essential NCD medicines and technologies.
The 2023 Aruba STEPS survey stands as a significant milestone in comprehending the NCD landscape and associated risk factors within the population.
Understanding the STEPS Survey Methodology
The STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS) serves as a systematic and standardized method for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data on key NCD risk factors. Conducted as a household survey, STEPS involves a face-to-face interview followed by physical measurements of blood pressure, height, and weight, and the collection of urine and blood samples for biochemical analysis. The standardized nature of STEPS facilitates comparability of data both within and across countries.
