Health Researchers Urged to Focus on Findings That Encourage Change Through Advocacy

Health researchers are being urged by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, to place emphasis on findings that encourage behavioural change through advocacy.

The Minister, who was delivering the featured presentation at the opening ceremony for the 13th Annual National Health Conference, held today (November 16) at the AC Marriot Hotel in New Kingston, said change needs to be influenced from clinical data.

He pointed out that the medical scientists can positively affect attitudes towards consumption, and influence persons to do regular medical checkups, and “not to wait until they are sick”.

“The application of the research must be a fundamental part of your design, and where the recommendations can be applied, it would be very valuable to tackle the issue of avoidable illnesses, in keeping with the event’s theme, ‘Combatting Non-Communicable Diseases: Looking to a Healthier Future’,” Dr. Tufton said.

The Minister said he would like to see more “cutting edge” research emanating from the conference, which combines behavioural science with clinical science, adding that it would “represent a new and interesting forward-thinking” approach to the non- communicable disease (NCD) crisis facing the nation.

“If we are to turn the corner on the NCD crisis, which seems to be getting worse, despite our valiant efforts, we have to shake up the status quo and challenge some of the traditional thinking and approaches to the work that we do,” the Minister told the audience.

He emphasised that the conclusions of the researchers must progress into advocacy and be used to influence persons at the community level.

The three-day Conference will look at issues such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its long-term effect.

Studies commissioned by the Ministry will be shared with the attendees, which include experts locally and in the region, while details of a study on salt and trans-fat will be presented.

Other presentations will look at attitudes towards primary healthcare, nutritional status in schools, status of the elderly population, and several other topics.