Findings From JSLC to Inform Health Policies and Programmes

Findings from the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC) will help to inform adjustments to health policies and programmes, including efforts to respond to the prevalence of chronic illnesses and improve access to treatment.

Director of Policy Research in the Social Policy Planning and Research Division of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Suzette Johnson, told JIS News that the survey tracks chronic illnesses affecting the population, as well as the ability of persons to manage these conditions and access healthcare.

“We are also concerned about the health status of the population. And so, we ask about persons who have received diagnosis on various chronic illnesses. Now these are lifelong conditions that require a prolonged interaction with the healthcare system,” she said.

Mrs. Johnson explained that the survey also examines why some persons do not seek medical attention when they are ill, including barriers to accessing healthcare.

“Some persons do not visit a health facility when they are ill. So, we also ask about reasons for visiting or reasons for not accessing this particular service,” she said.

She noted that affordability had previously been identified as a barrier to healthcare access, while the introduction of free healthcare in public health facilities represents a step towards addressing the challenge.

“In the past, we have seen where affordability was an issue. We have now seen the emergence of free healthcare in public health facilities. While we know that there are challenges, this is still a step in the right direction to assist persons to access care,” Ms. Johnson said.

Mrs. Johnson said chronic illnesses remain persistent in the population, noting that the list of conditions covered by the National Health Fund (NHF) has also expanded, allowing more persons to receive assistance with purchasing medication.

“As it relates to the chronic illnesses, we see that it is persistent in the population, and we have also seen that there is an increase in the list of diseases that are covered by the National Health Fund. They have increased the number of conditions for which persons can get assistance with purchasing their medication,” she said.

She noted that the information collected through the JSLC helps to identify the issues affecting the population and supports the revision of policies and programmes to address those needs.

“If it’s affecting you, the policies and programmes are being revised to ensure that they meet the specific needs that you have. So, whatever affects the majority of persons, we try to address those issues to ensure that we have a healthy population going forward,” Mrs. Johnson said.