Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death in the Region of the Americas, leading to 6 million deaths in 2021, 38% of which are premature in people under 70 years of age. The main NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, caused by common risk factors of tobacco, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Beyond the impact on mortality, NCDs also pose a significant burden on health systems and societies, with an estimated 240 million people in the Americas living with at least one NCD.
The focus of this call for papers is on the main NCDs (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases) for which outcomes can be improved through primary health care interventions. Several cost-effective primary care interventions for NCDs have been well established. These include screening, diagnosis and continuous access to essential medicines for hypertension, diabetes, asthma, as well as HPV vaccination, screening for cervical cancer, and precancer treatment, which together have potential to eliminate cervical cancer.
Nonetheless, significant gaps persist with the availability and integration of quality health services for NCDs, with strengthened primary health care and referral systems for secondary and tertiary care. Coupled with the disruptions in health services and foregone care during COVID-19, which significantly affected people with NCDs, there is an urgent need now to recover and strengthen primary health care services, prioritizing people with NCDs. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has been providing technical cooperation to its Member States on Better Care for NCDs , building on the experiences with Hearts to accelerate improvements in NCD management in primary health care. This special issue of the Pan American Journal of Public Health seeks to document the results and outcomes of these regional primary health care strengthening efforts for NCDs.
Deadline July 30, 2025