Health Of Males In Jamaica
Published: October 1, 2010 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2010/.942
PAUL A. BOURNE
*Department of Community Health and Psychiatry,
Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies,
Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica
Correspondence
Paul Andrew Bourne, Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica. Email: paulbourne1@yahoo.com or Tel: (876) 457-6990.
Background: Studies on males in the Caribbean have been on marginalization; fatherhood; masculinity and none on the changing pattern of diseases. Aims: This study aims to 1) provide a detailed epidemiological profile of the health conditions; 2) indicate the changing pattern of the health conditions; 3) calculate the mean age of having reported illness or not; 4) compute the mean age of particular health conditions; 5) state whether the mean age of having a particular illness is changing; 6) determine whether there is a significant statistical correlation between health status and self-reported illness; 7) identify factors that correlate with health status; and 8) ascertain the magnitude of each determinant of the health status. Methods and materials: The current study used secondary cross-sectional data taken from two nationally representative surveys. A subsample of 12,332 males out of 25,018 respondents and 3,303 males from 6,783 respondents were extracted from the surveys of the years 2002 and 2007 respectively. Statistical analysis used: The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows, Version 16.0 was used for the analysis. Multiple logistic regressions were used to explain the variables of the models. Results: There is a possibility of a diabetes mellitus epidemic among Jamaican males, as the yearly average increase was found to be 156% for the studied period. Predictors of poor self-reported illness of males in Jamaica for the year 2002 were age (Odds ratio, OR = 1.044; 95% CI = 1.038, 1.049; P < 0.05); urban area (OR = 1.547, 95% CI = 1.172, 2.043; P < 0.05); and consumption (OR = 1.183; 95% CI = 1.056, 1.327; P < 0.05). Non self-reported illness of males in Jamaica for the year 2007 can be predicted by good health status (OR = 17.801; 95% CI = 10.761, 29.446; P < 0.05); fair health status (OR = 2.403; 95% CI = 1.461, 3.951; P < 0.05); age (OR = 0.967; 95% CI = 0.957, 0.977; P < 0.05); urban area (OR = 1.579, 95% CI = 1.067, 2.336; P < 0.05); and consumption (OR = 0.551; 95% CI = 0.352, 0.861; P < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings are far reaching and can be used to guide health policy formulation and intervention programmes in the future.
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