Improving the health status of Caribbean people: recommendations from the Triangulating on Health Equity summit

Abstract

In 2011, Morehouse School of Medicine convened a summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to discuss issues related to the health status of people and communities in the Caribbean region. The summit provided a forum for transparent dialog among researchers, policymakers, and advocates from the Caribbean region and the United States. The summit’s theme—improving the region’s health outcomes through the adoption of effective practices linking health promotion and primary care, within the context of social and cultural determinants—called for a comprehensive and integrative model or a triangulation of methodologies to improve health outcomes. This article summarizes the recommendations of two workgroup sessions examining the challenges to improving health outcomes in the region and the opportunities to meet those challenges. The recommendations seek to develop action-oriented agendas that integrate research, practice, and policy. Outcomes of the summit highlight the importance of (a) community participation in planning interventions, (b) policymakers’ commitment to prioritizing health, and (c) Caribbean governments’ commitment to addressing the underlying social factors responsible for poor health outcomes.