A consensus statement on birth defects surveillance, prevention, and care in Latin America and the Caribbean

Birth defects contribute up to 21% of the mortality in those under 5 years of age in Latin America and the Caribbean  (LAC), and that burden has been compounded by the Zika virus epidemic. In 2001, the March of Dimes launched a series of biennial assemblies called the International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World (ICBD). The latest ICBD, in 2017, convened in Bogotá, Colombia, and was attended by over 300 professionals, policymakers, and donors.

Congenital Zika syndrome: sociodemographic profile of mothers

Objective.

Describe the sociodemographic profile of mothers of children with congenital Zika syndrome.

Method.

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study. The 39 mothers of live born babies among the cases notified in 2015 and 2016 with confirmed diagnosis of congenital Zika syndrome in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, were invited to participate. Of these, 25 mothers were enrolled. Data were collected using a socioeconomic questionnaire and a field diary.

Legal framework for electronic medical records in the Region of the Americas: definition of domains to legislate and situation analysis

Objectives.

Define a legal framework for electronic medical records (EMRs) and determine the degree to which the countries of the Region of the Americas are prepared in this regard.

Methods.

The methodology consisted of two phases. In the first, a Delphi methodology was used to develop a questionnaire and define the framework and legal domains applicable to EMRs. In the second, the questionnaire was completed in each country. This included identifying national experts and the data collection process.

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