Social determinants, the urban environment, and public safety policies: a spatial ecological and time-series analysis of Santiago de Cali, Colombia, 2015–2024

Objective

To estimate the association of social determinants, the urban environment, and public policies with the occurrence and evolution over time of homicides in Santiago de Cali, Colombia (2015–2024), to inform decision-making in public health and territorial planning. 

Comprehensive care of patients with type 1 diabetes in primary health care: policies, practices, and the role of civil society

Objective

Using Mexico as a case study, identify barriers and opportunities and formulate recommendations to strengthen management of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in primary health care (PHC), with potential for implementation in other countries of the Region of the Americas. 

Between algorithms and territories: a scoping review on digital health and artificial intelligence in primary care

This scoping review summarized recent scientific output on the use of mobile digital technologies in primary health care (PHC) within the context of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). The review was based on the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Studies published between 2020 and 2025 and indexed in the PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, and Virtual Health Library databases were included.

Hypertension control applying the HEARTS in the Americas protocol in Trinidad: A cross-sectional study

Objective

To determine the prevalence of hypertension control and its associated risk factors among adult patients using the HEARTS in the Americas treatment protocol. 

Methods

A cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey was conducted among adult hypertensive patients in North-Central Trinidad over a four-month period. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, and factors associated with hypertension control – alcohol use, smoking status, physical activity, nutrition, and treatment adherence – were assessed. 

Clinical coordination and strengthening of primary care for cancer diagnosis in Latin America: a scoping review

Objective

To summarize the knowledge available in Latin America about clinical coordination (CC) between levels of care, the knowledge of primary care (PC) providers about cancer diagnosis, associated factors, and interventions for the improvement thereof. 

Methods

A scoping review was conducted in the MEDLINE, LILACS, and SciELO databases. After reviewing titles, abstracts, and full texts, data on study characteristics and main results were extracted and synthesized in accordance with the conceptual framework of CC. 

Health research in Honduras: a decade of transformations, challenges, and sustainable institutional strengthening

Honduras has historically faced significant limitations to scientific development, with research spending below 0.1% of the gross domestic product and a university system focused almost exclusively on teaching. However, between 2007 and 2012, the Teasdale-Corti project (a joint undertaking of Canada and Honduras) marked a turning point by establishing the first academic master’s degree in infectious and zoonotic diseases, a biomedical research laboratory, an ethics committee, and biosafety training programs.

Tracking the health of Puerto Rican youth through their physical activity, fitness, nutrition and self-efficacy

Objectives

Physical activity, fitness and nutrition influence health trajectories from childhood to adulthood and are linked to the risk of chronic diseases. Despite the urgency of prevention, there is a lack of longitudinal data about these health indicators among children in Puerto Rico. This 3-year study (2013–2016) followed 46 children from ages 7 to 9 years to assess their physical activity, fitness, nutrition and self-efficacy over time, and to explore the interrelationships among these indicators. 

Comparación de impuestos como porcentaje del precio de las bebidas azucaradas en América Latina y el Caribe

Objetivo

Los impuestos selectivos al consumo pueden utilizarse para reducir el consumo de bebidas azucaradas, un importante factor de riesgo prevenible de las enfermedades no transmisibles. El objetivo de este estudio es comparar nuevos indicadores estandarizados del nivel de impuestos aplicados a las bebidas azucaradas como porcentaje del precio en las distintas categorías de bebidas en América Latina y el Caribe. 

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