Cayman Islands releases report on adolescent health and sexuality
The Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey Report
The Ministry of Health is releasing to the public the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Adolescent Health and Sexuality (AHS) Survey Report for the Cayman Islands. On receipt of the final copies of the report in early 2015, the relevant stakeholders who were part of the survey met to discuss the findings of the report and to decide on an action plan.
The AHS Survey was developed with the technical support of PAHO and with financial support from the European Commission through the regional project “Strengthening the Integration of British and Dutch Overseas Caribbean Territories in the Regional Response to HIV”. One of the priorities in the area of prevention is the strengthening of territory capacity to develop and implement HIV/STI prevention programmes for young persons. Given the critical importance of strategic information to facilitate targeted programme planning and development for young people, it was decided to support the implementation of a health study among adolescents, focusing on sexuality and HIV, in the participating territories.
Adolescence is a key stage of the life course that affects health, opportunities and development for the rest of life. Adolescents in the Caribbean, as elsewhere, are experiencing a world undergoing demographic transition, globalisation, environmental changes, and a growing reliance on new communication technologies.
The aim of the survey was to conduct a holistic assessment of adolescents’ health, with emphasis on HIV and sexual and reproductive health, to inform the development of targeted interventions and to serve as a baseline. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilised for the study, respectively a self-administered survey and focus groups. The target population for the study in the Cayman Islands was young people in school in the age group 15-19 years. Out of the 1186 potential participants, 955 youth participated in the survey, representing an 80.5% participation rate.
The report is expected to be used widely across both public and private sector stakeholders including the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Youth Affairs (IMCYA), a committee that serves to enact the National Youth Policy and Plan, as well the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth and the National Youth Commission (NYC).
Details of the findings are available within the report. Additionally the Ministry of Health and the Committee have prepared a guidance note for the public on the report.
The guidance note outlines the various initiatives that have already been put into place. The Ministry of Health is currently underway with the preparation of the National Health Policy’s Operational Plan, and will ensure the Plan incorporates actions that need to be taken for the country to address the weaknesses outlined in the report. The Mental Health Commission, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health has also commenced training to accompany the Mental Health Law 2013, for front line personnel and others who in the performance of their duties may interact with adolescents.
Other government initiatives that include aspects specifically tailored for our adolescent population include the Strategic Sports Advisory Group (SSAG) led by the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth & Sports part of its remit of which is to get adolescents more involved in physical activity; the Ministry of Education, Employment & Gender Affairs’ Canteen Guidelines and Policy in place in the government schools in an effort to address nutritional needs of adolescents.
Minister of Health the Hon Premier Alden McLaughlin thanked the PAHO technical team and local Committee representatives for the work to date on the survey and report and noted: “The delivery of the report signals the start of the next stage of work; this report provides a solid baseline from which government ministries and departments can now work along with relevant non-governmental organisations, in order to improve the state of health and wellbeing of the adolescents of our country. Enacting recommendations and initiatives based upon this report is now one of the priorities of this Ministry.”
The Ministry of Health thanks PAHO / WHO for the technical assistance provided; the Department of Education for their partnership, dedication, commitment and understanding that health and education are mutually reinforcing and that collectively both will improve the health of young people; the Public Health Department and National Drug Council and other key stakeholders from the public and private sector for their support and cooperation to the process.
The following persons are members of the Committee in the Cayman Islands for the Adolescent Health Survey: Dr. Kiran Kumar, Therese Prehay, Laura Whitefield, Joanna Rose-Wright, Joan West-Dacres, Luisa McLaughlin, Simon Miller and the Ministry of Health’s Nancy Barnard and Janett Flynn. Representatives from the Cayman AIDS Foundation, the CI Red Cross, the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs will also be involved to discuss future action steps so as to ensure a comprehensive governmental and NGO approach.
The report in full along with the guidance note can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website: www.ministryofhealth.gov.ky
Guidance Note including frequently asked questions (FAQS) on the Pan American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) Report on the Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey (AHS) of the Cayman Islands 2013
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey Committee “the Committee” has reviewed the PAHO Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey Report for the Cayman Islands. Together the Ministry of Health and the Committee have prepared this guidance note as the first step in a process to ensure the PAHO Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey Report is viewed within context and to determine the next steps the country needs to take to address the weaknesses outlined in the PAHO Health and Sexuality Survey Report.
What is the background and objectives of the report?
The Ministry of Health in collaboration with PAHO, the Ministry of Education, the school principals of both public and private secondary schools, the National Drug Council, and the Public Health Department embarked on an Adolescent Health and Sexuality Survey for the Cayman Islands in 2012. This wide-ranging study of adolescent health included the majority of 15-19 year olds attending schools in the Cayman Islands and was conducted under the remit of “strengthening the integration of British and Dutch OCTs in the regional response to HIV”
The objectives of the survey, the results of which are based on the targeted population of school youth age 15 -19 years, were to conduct a holistic assessment of the health of youth in the Cayman Islands, in order to strengthen existing services including programming and intervention for young people, and provide baseline data to inform the development of targeted interventions.
Why has the report not been publicly released prior to now?
Although the survey title notes the year 2013, the survey was not actually finalised by PAHO technical advisors until 2014 and the final copies of the report were received by the Cayman Islands Government in early 2015.
What were some of the positive findings of the report?
The majority of the participants thought their teachers were supportive towards their academic pursuits. Regarding educational ambitions, 36.5% of participants reported wanting to go on to complete university whilst 32.7% would like to gain an advanced degree.
The adolescents also generally reported they received family care and support through ensuring that rules are followed and encouraged to do their best.
The use of drugs (other than marijuana) was relatively low with only 6.8% of participants reporting using psychoactive drugs other than marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes.
What were some of the negative findings of the report?
The study uncovered substantial levels of mental ill-health, including loneliness, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. One-third of the females and a quarter of the males reported one or more of the following taking place among adults at home: drinking, mental health problems, drug use, violence.
About one-tenth of participants stated they had been sexually abused by a member of their family or another person, with the prevalence of sexual abuse being six times higher among females (18.6%) than males (3.1%).
Details of the findings are available within the report.
How does the Ministry of Health along with other stakeholders within the Cayman Islands Government plan to mitigate the negative findings of this report?
The Ministry of Health will continue to meet along with the Committee which was responsible for working with PAHO to enable this survey and report, along with stakeholders within the other relevant ministries, in order to develop actionable steps to address all of the negative findings of the AHS Report.
Additionally, various initiatives have already been put into place:
- The Ministry of Health has with stakeholders developed the CI National Health Policy and Strategic Plan and is underway to develop the National Health Operational Plan to accompany the Policy. The Operational Plan will initiate and strengthen areas of health care that will support the health of adolescents in the Cayman Islands.
- The Ministry of Health has also commenced, along with the newly formed Mental Health Commission, training to accompany the Mental Health Law 2013, for front line personnel and others who in the performance of their duties may interact with adolescents.
- The Cayman Islands Government along with various private stakeholders created the CI National Sports Policy, and the Ministry of Sports is now working with the Strategic Sports Advisory Group (SSAG) to develop the comprehensive plan to accompany it, which will include aspects specifically tailored for our adolescent population.
- Since 2012, the Ministry of Education has ensured that canteen guidelines and policies are in place in the government schools, which will help with adolescent nutritional concerns.
- The Ministry responsible for Gender Affairs has noted that if the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is extended to the Cayman Islands one requirement is for both sexes to have access to information on health services, which will mitigate some of the concerns highlighted by the report.
- The Ministry of Health is looking at ways to improve adolescent health services.
Recently there has been discussion to have practitioners receive training in the provision of care for the adolescent population.
- A programme is currently being conducted by CI Red Cross with funding from the Cayman Islands Government in the high schools “It’s not your fault”, and another conducted at the Early Childhood Centres with a focus on “touching.” Both programmes are to mitigate sexual abuse.
For further information please contact: Ministry of Health & Culture
Telephone: (345) 949-7900 / 244-2318
