Report: Evaluating Policies for Diseases in Caribbean Countries

This report evaluates policies concerning non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in seven Caribbean countries, focusing on challenges related to unhealthy diets and physical inactivity. The study employs a case study approach and utilizes the Multiple Streams Framework to understand policy windows, considering the political context. It highlights macro-level barriers such as limited resources and geographical constraints. While multisectoral commissions exist, their influence on policy development is limited. The research emphasizes the importance of stakeholder involvement, including government, private bodies, and global organizations like WHO. Key findings indicate that population-level policies take time to implement and may not always be effective. Stakeholders advocate for clearer, more specific policies addressing diet and physical activity, considering the macroeconomic factors and trade policies that impact health. The report underscores the need for sustainable approaches and collaboration to overcome challenges and recommends integrating stakeholder perspectives and economic considerations into policy development and implementation.

Running head: EVALUATING POLICIES- DISEASES IN CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Author Note:

1Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
Non communicable diseases or chronic diseases are referred to the diseases that are
caused out of the physiological, environmental, genetic or behavioural factors and are usually
of long duration. They are usually non transmissible directly from person to person and are
mostly non-infectious, however, the diseases that are parasitic in nature do include host to
host transmission (Glick et al 2016). In the following essay the evaluation policies regarding
the non-communicable diseases in seven of the Caribbean countries are reviewed from
critical perspective.
The aim of the essay to be examined, was to target the determinants of non-
communicable factors related to unhealthy diets and physical inactivity and it included the
seven small countries in the Caribbean region with an approach of case study following
multiple streams framework to understand the policy windows that are quite dependant on the
political approaches of the country (Murphy et al 2019). The discussion is mostly
concentrated up on the challenges regarding the development and implementation of policies
to address the physical activities presented in the country. The highlighted areas in the work
are the macro level barriers that often come across while undertaking the study. Since the
countries are much smaller they are often faced with less food and barriers to process the
food, lesser fish resources that does not suffice the food requirement of the country men and
certain other aspect , such as geographical barriers and limited drinkable water resources.
The political scenario of the country has a huge role in accounting the health issues in
the country. Moreover, there are multisectoral non communicable disease commissions to
evaluate and account for the diseases. However, these commissions, as viewed do not have
much influence up on the policy development processes. These commissions have taken
agendas to evaluate and govern the study designs and settings to account these areas (Murphy
et al 2019). The case study has evaluated with an aim to leverage the lessons that have
explored the policy responses and have further accelerated the implementation policies

2Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
among the stakeholders as well as government and private bodies and the global bodies such
as WHO. A general finding of the case study was that it took time for the population level
policies to get ratified and implemented and did not make a great difference. According to the
stakeholders, it is the personal understandings and commitments of the individuals that
changed the scene of the country and they believed that the mandates and physical activities
should be focused at the population level policy development and implementation (Lenoir et
al 2013). They also suggested that the policies should be in accordance to the risk factors
related to the unhealthy diets and physical activities. The research confirms that the previous
analysis that included the Multiple Streams Framework in examining the POS Declaration,
was a great help for them to understand the population development policies and
implementations and also to understand the orientations of the political scenario that govern
the seven countries (Murphy et al 2019). Further, it is seen that the stakeholders are of the
opinion that the government should include much clearer and specific outlines of policies and
programs to account the physical activity and diet policies to approach the challenges
regarding the health issues and they have also stated that these policies should be more
concrete in their approach. The stakeholders have also seen to have opined that the macro-
economic approaches presented among the developing islands, from smaller to medium, pose
a global challenge of negative impacts up on the health of the population. Therefore, they
suggested that the government must include the economic approaches of the country as well
as of the individuals of the country while drafting the policies and implementing the same
(Swinburn et al 2013). further, they have also identifies that the open trade policies and the
trade relations with other countries have increased the consumption of local, ill quality food
among the population, that contributes positively to the heath challenges observed by these
seven countries (Murphy et al 2019).

3Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
Therefore, it is seen from the research work that the stakeholders play an important
role in the policy implementation and evaluation, however as mentioned before they are not
much included in the policy development process. They have further given importance to
achieving collaborations and he positive and negative effects of the same (Lachat et al 2013).
The work therefore, has illustrated the difficulties of gaining equal and equitable
representations in case of collaborations and the importance of a sustainable approach on the
part of the political bodies that are exercised in the country and the importance political
transitions among the seven countries and translating the political legislations among the
same.
Therefore, it can be said from the findings of the study that it has a very micro and
critical approach to the issues related to the unhealthy diets and physical inactivity presented
among the population. The study has also reverberated several concepts related to the same
that are included in the policy analysis literature which is much complex and non-linear with
a lack in the formal representation of the policies, and has given a proper account of the
issues presented and the policies implemented and the risk factors that are to be accounted
(World Health Organisation 2013). Moreover, as see in the research work, the stakeholders
are of the opinion that the positions and challenges faced by the people belonging to the
middle class must also be kept in mind in case of outlining the policies. The researchers
viewed that the challenges faced by the NCD policymaking processes have been faced with
certain challenging situations while drafting policies for the countries belonging to middle
and lower economic background, and the similar challenges are posed in case of these seven
countries as well (Swinburn et al 2015).
Therefore, as a concluding point, it can be said that the stakeholders of these countries
must be given more importance and their views and opinions must be included in the
processes of drafting and outlining the policies. Moreover, the government of the country

4Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
must include a more economic approach while developing the population policies.
Furthermore, the government must include a sustainable approach and focus more on the
implementation of the policies. Cooperation across sectors and among countries can prove to
be helpful to overcome the challenges.

5Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
References:
Glick, Michael, David M. Williams, Dushanka V. Kleinman, Marko Vujicic, Richard G.
Watt, and Robert J. Weyant. "A new definition for oral health developed by the FDI World
Dental Federation opens the door to a universal definition of oral health." British dental
journal 221, no. 12 (2016): 792.
Lachat, Carl, Stephen Otchere, Dominique Roberfroid, Abubakari Abdulai, Florencia Maria
Aguirre Seret, Jelena Milesevic, Godfrey Xuereb, Vanessa Candeias, and Patrick Kolsteren.
"Diet and physical activity for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases in low-and
middle-income countries: a systematic policy review." PLoS medicine 10, no. 6 (2013):
e1001465.
Lenoir-Wijnkoop, I., P. J. Jones, R. Uauy, L. Segal, and J. Milner. "Nutrition economics–
food as an ally of public health." British journal of Nutrition 109, no. 5 (2013): 777-784.
Murphy, Madhuvanti M., Nigel Unwin, T. Samuels, Trevor A. Hassell, Lisa Bishop, and
Cornelia Guell. "Evaluating policy responses to noncommunicable diseases in seven
Caribbean countries: challenges to addressing unhealthy diets and physical
inactivity." Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública 42 (2019): e174.
Swinburn, Boyd, G. Sacks, Stefanie Vandevijvere, S. Kumanyika, T. Lobstein, Bruce Neal,
S. Barquera et al. "INFORMAS (I nternational N etwork for F ood and O besity/non‐
communicable diseases R esearch, M onitoring and A ction S upport): overview and key
principles." Obesity reviews 14 (2013): 1-12.

6Evaluating Policies- Diseases in Caribbean Countries
Swinburn, Boyd, Vivica Kraak, Harry Rutter, Stefanie Vandevijvere, Tim Lobstein, Gary
Sacks, Fabio Gomes, Tim Marsh, and Roger Magnusson. "Strengthening of accountability
systems to create healthy food environments and reduce global obesity." The Lancet 385, no.
9986 (2015): 2534-2545.
World Health Organization. "Global action plan for the prevention and control of
noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020." (2013).