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This paper revisits the relationship between human capital and income inequality, using an updated data set on human capital inequality and a novel database on earnings inequality. We find an inverted U-shaped relationship between these two inequality indicators, but with significant differences across countries regarding the turning point. Skill-biased technological change is found to be an additional force that may blur the relationship between human capital and earnings inequality. Over and above the effect exerted through earnings inequality, the paper shows that human capital inequality has a direct positive effect on income inequality.

This paper conducts descriptive quantitative research of the player profile of a set of 808 university professors, and the player profiles that participants consider most suitable for learning when educational gamification is employed in higher education. It also studied the existence of influential variables in the chosen player profiles, including sociological (gender and age) and academic variables (area of knowledge). The results reveal that most professors are mostly explorers, followed by the socializers, and consider these player profiles as the most efficient for achieving learning objectives. There are no gaps based on sociological aspects or knowledge about gamification, but there are gaps based on area of knowledge. It is proposed that universities design training sessions for professors on educational gamification and further research on factors that influence the configuration of their player profile.

This article examines the pattern of female labour force participation since the 2000s in South Asia (SA) and the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries. The objectives of the paper are twofold: first, to identify the factors that have led to changes in the patterns of female labour force participation in the two fastest-growing regions of SA and LAC and compare the underlying reasons behind the disparate trends; and second, to explore the policies appropriate for the two regions that can raise female labour force participation. From descriptive statistics and a review of existing research on gender inequality in employment in the two regions, the paper finds that a plethora of factors shape the extent of gender inequality in labour force participation. However, each of the factors has different roles and importance in the two regions, debunking any particular relationship pattern between economic growth and the gender gap in labour force participation. Hence, it is imperative to formulate multipronged, country- and region-specific policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the special issue focused on Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&C), featuring five papers penned by local authors. Reviewing Voluntas journal's main topics concerning LA&C as grassroots movements within civil society, the third sector including its definitions and institutional context, philanthropy, and volunteer work. After organizing these discussions, we summarize the five papers included in this special issue. We connect these papers with broader debates in the LA&C literature and emphasize their unique contributions. A significant amount of the LA&C research relies on case studies. We advocate for increased usage of local databases to conduct quantitative studies. Furthermore, while most theoretical models use non-local frameworks, we encourage research that presents fresh theoretical viewpoints to enrich the debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista INVI is the property of Universidad de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A documentary review was carried out on the production and publication of research papers on sustainable development indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean. The bibliometric analysis proposed in this document was to know the main characteristics of the volume of publications registered in Scopus database during the period 2016-2021, achieving the identification of 1182 publications in total. The information provided by the said platform was organized using tables and figures, categorizing the information by Year of Publication, Country of Origin, Area of Knowledge and Type of Publication. Once these characteristics were described, a qualitative analysis was used to refer to the position of different authors on the proposed topic. Among the main findings of this research, it is found that Brazil, with 519 publications, was the country with the highest scientific production registered in the name of authors affiliated with institutions of that country. The Area of Knowledge that made the most significant contribution to the construction of bibliographic material referring to the study of Sustainable Development Indicators in Latin America and the Caribbean was Environmental Sciences, with 608 published documents, and the Type of Publication that was most used during the period indicated above was the Journal Article, representing 74% of the total scientific production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial inclusion is an important determinant of local economic development. Lack of adequate access to formal financial services can have detrimental effects on households, such as hampering liquidity levels. The benefits of financial inclusion could be especially important in Latin America and Caribbean, a region with modest and volatile economic growth, savings, and investment levels. The objective of this paper was to examine the determinants of financial inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Overall, our results indicate that greater income and education levels are associated with higher probability of financial inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews Ecuador's population structure and labor market dynamics with a focus on the causes of inequality, particularly among older adults receiving contributory pensions. This serves as a basis for characterizing the main restrictions that the Ecuadorian pension system must address. This analysis is valuable for three key reasons. First, the population structure of many less developed countries is converging toward that of developed countries, with older age groups increasing in proportion. Second, Ecuador is among the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with the highest degree of informality in the labor market, which lowers the coverage of contributory pension schemes. Third, regarding gender inequality, the rate of women's labor participation in 2010 was among the lowest in South America. The findings suggest that a younger population structure will not be the main solution to financial problems and the pension inadequacy that are facing most pension systems worldwide. Improvements in labor market institutions are required to increase the pension system's insurance. The study concludes by discussing several proposals aimed at increasing pension coverage and reducing inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this paper is to describe the context of alcohol use and problems in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the environmental context for alcohol‐related policy, drinking trends, harm and policy and to systematically review policies implemented to reduce alcohol‐related burden. Methods: LAC‐based studies relating to the existence and effects of public health‐oriented alcohol policies are described. The review is informed by a literature search of alcohol policies in LAC in English and in Spanish in several platforms, and in publications of international organisations, including grey and scientific literature. Results: Only 30 documents measuring policy impact were identified for the policy analysis. Most of the policies are focused on brief interventions, and most have little evidence on their effectiveness. Alcohol taxation and drink‐driving policies appear to have the highest impact if enforcement is adequately performed. Discussion and Conclusions: The studies reviewed indicate a pattern of modelling policy interventions but implementing only a few, and a paucity of sustained or systematic evaluations. Although patterns of use indicate alcohol use should be a major public health priority, only a few countries in LAC have a national policy or plan dedicated to alcohol, representing a low political commitment to considering alcohol as a public health priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary world politics, Taiwan is, for different reasons, a subject of great contention. The constant conflict it faces with Beijing over the claim to fully integrate it into its sovereignty, in the conception of a single China, limits its expectations as a possible independent state. Given this, and in a long-standing dispute, the groups in power, both in Beijing and in Taipei, confront each other precisely because of these visions, which is the object of constant encounters and disagreements. Thus, and intending to firmly maintain international recognition through a low-profile strategy, Taiwan has maintained formal ties with different states in different regions of the world, including Latin America and the Caribbean. This has allowed the use of its official links in some countries in the area, which are exposed to pressure from the government of the People’s Republic of China, which appears as a counterweight to Taipei’s efforts. With this background, the purpose of this paper is to describe that the presence of Taiwan in Latin America and the Caribbean depends on the ability of its political leaders to materialize initiatives whose impact is not of great importance in the dynamics of regional politics and economics. This will allow you to avoid situations that jeopardize the achievements achieved so far and allow you to continue with this status quo created over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides evidence on the incidence of poverty among older people in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), based on household survey microdata from 20 countries. The situation of older people is characterised in terms of income, education, health and access to services vis-à-vis the rest of the population. The paper identifies the role played by the current pension systems in LAC, and assesses the efforts needed to achieve substantial improvements towards the reduction of old age poverty. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the ectomycorrhizal genus Lactifluus, and often entire sections, are typically unique to a single continent. Given these biogeographic patterns, an interesting region to study their diversity is Central America and the Caribbean, since the region is closely connected to and often considered a part of the North American continent, but biogeographically belong to the Neotropical realm, and comprises several regions with different geologic histories. Based on a multi-gene phylogeny and morphological study, this study shows that Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean harbour at least 35 Lactifluus species, of which 33 were never reported outside of this region. It was found that species from the Caribbean generally show affinities to South American taxa, while species from the Central American mainland generally show affinities to Northern hemispheric taxa. We hypothesise that host specificity and/or climate play a crucial role in these different origins of diversity. Because of these different affinities, Caribbean islands harbour a completely different Lactifluus diversity than the Central American mainland. The majority of species occurring on the islands can be considered endemic to certain islands or island groups. In this paper, detailed morphological descriptions are given, with a focus on the unique diversity of the islands, and identification keys to all hitherto described Lactifluus species occurring in Central America and the Caribbean are provided. One new section, Lactifluus sect. Nebulosi, and three new species, Lactifluus guadeloupensis, Lactifluus lepus and Lactifluus marmoratus are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses theoretical and practical issues related to long-term care (LTC) services in Latin America. Demand for these services will rise as the region undergoes a swift demographic transition from its currently young population to a rapidly aging one, especially since the region's aging cohorts are more prone to experience a decline in their functional and physical abilities than elderly people elsewhere in the world. We argue that private insurance markets are ill-equipped to provide coverage to meet the need for LTC, while the amount of personal savings required to afford self-insurance would be prohibitively high. In Latin America, LTC may not be an immediate priority, but governments are likely to encourage the development of LTC programs as demand for them steadily grows. In particular, policymakers are probably going to focus initially on LTC programs for the poor and vulnerable, for whom affordability of LTC is a greater problem. We therefore study how basic elements of policy design affect the cost-effectiveness of LTC programs by means of a formal model. In a simple context where families can provide care themselves or hire care in a market, we find that propoor programs are more cost-effective when families have the option to receive cash subsidies, as the opportunity cost of providing care is lower for poor families. Moreover, the availability of in-kind and cash choices reduces program costs overall by screening families based on their opportunity cost of providing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into account that Latin America and the Caribbean countries have common interests in the practical application of the optimization principle and that the networks existing in other regions of the world were contributing to the improvement of occupational radiation protection infrastructures, the Network for the Optimization of Occupational Radiation Protection in Latin America and the Caribbean (REPROLAM) was created. In current international context, the increase of peer information exchange on topics dealing with safety and radiological protection using state-of-the-art information and communication technology has been promoted. In this scenario, the REPROLAM Website is developed as an information and communication tool in the field of occupational radiological protection and as a means of social appropriation of knowledge in this field, from which all countries in the region can benefit. In this paper the main characteristics and results of the created platform are shown. In a dynamic environment for the development of information technologies and networks, the existence of the REPROLAM Website has contributed to the network being able to meet its goals of grouping people whose professional activities are developed in the field of protection occupational radiological protection in Latin America and the Caribbean, contributing to the harmonization of policies and practices in this field, and to the integration and cooperation in relation to the knowledge and specialized services in occupational radiological protection available to the countries of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of epilepsy in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region causes a profound regional impact on the health care system and significantly contributes to the global epilepsy burden. As in many other resource-limited settings worldwide, health care professionals and patients with epilepsy in LAC countries face profound challenges due to a combination of factors, including high disease prevalence, stigmatization of epilepsy, disparities in access to care, limited resources, substantial treatment gaps, insufficient training opportunities for health care providers, and a diverse patient population with varying needs. This article presents an overview of the epidemiology of epilepsy and discusses the principal obstacles to epilepsy care and key contributors to the epilepsy diagnosis and treatment gap in the LAC region. We conclude by highlighting various initiatives across different LAC countries to improve epilepsy care in marginalized communities, listing strategies to mitigate treatment gaps and facilitate better health care access for patients with epilepsy by enhancing the epilepsy workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Ciencia, Tecnologia y Sociedad is the property of Centro de Estudios sobre Ciencia, Desarrollo y Educacion Superior and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Desarrollo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean will not proceed along known paths already followed by more developed countries. In particular, the health profile of the future elderly population is less predictable due to factors associated with their demographic past that may haunt them for a long time and make them more vulnerable, even if economic and institutional conditions turn out to be better than what they are likely to be. This paper answers a set of questions regarding the nature and determinants of health status among the elderly in Latin America and the Caribbean using SABE (Survey on Health and Well-Being of Elders), a cross-sectional representative sample of over 10,000 elderly aged 60 and above in private homes in seven major cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. We examine health outcomes such as self-reported health, functional limitations–Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s), obesity (ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of height in centimeters), and self-reported chronic conditions (including diabetes). The findings include: (a) Countries differ in self-reported health but exhibit much less differences in terms of functional limitations. The number of chronic conditions increase with age and is higher among females than among males; (b) On average SABE countries display levels of self-reported diabetes (and obesity) that are as high if not higher than those found in the US; (c) There is evidence, albeit weaker than expected, suggesting deteriorated health and functional status in the region; (d) There is important evidence pointing toward rather strong inequalities (by education and income) in selected health outcomes. Preliminary findings from SABE confirm that Latin America and the Caribbean display peculiarities in the health profile of elderly, particularly with regard to diabetes and obesity. It is important that new policy initiatives begin to seriously target the region’s elderly, especially with an emphasis on the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The aim of this paper is to analyze the number of schools and programs of library science that have existed in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1985 to date. It was written in order to understand the nature of library science teaching, and to provide a numerical analysis of the schools and programs identified. Design/methodology/approach — The study is based on previous works that collected information on programs and institutions devoted to library science teaching. The main sources are the works of Fang (1985), Fang et al. (1995) and Mans and Giunti (1999). Differences between the Hispanic-Portuguese and Anglo-Saxon educational systems are described, as well as what they mean to library science teaching. With the purpose of standardizing the Anglo-Saxon and Hispanic-Portuguese systems, the various study programs were divided according to the classification used by Fang and Nauta. Findings — It is evident that the number of schools and programs has been increasing and decreasing, and although the causes of this trend are not known, the data show that Latin American library science studies are continuously in motion. Regarding the creation of schools and programs, the data that have been gathered suggest an influence from European and American schools first and UNESCO programs later. Numerical data are provided per country on the number of schools and programs for training, technical studies, tertiary-undergraduate studies, tertiary-graduate studies and tertiary-postgraduate studies. Research limitations/implications — Because this study is based on previous works that collected information on programs and institutions, one has to admit that they do not provide information on all the schools that have existed in Latin America and the Caribbean and, thus, data are not fully accurate; however, there is enough information to provide a clear overview of the situation and the trends of library science in Latin America and the Caribbean. Originality/value — The paper contributes to the knowledge of library education in Latin America and the Caribbean. It points out the formation of human resources in reference to education levels and affirms the diversity of library education in those regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between marriage and migration is usually considered in terms of international migration. However, domestic migration provides another lens in which to view this connection. In Brazil, despite the large migration from the northeast to the southern regions in the twentieth century, the role of domestic migration in race-mixing has been unacknowledged. Since race in Brazil is highly regionalized, with black and brown Brazilians comprising most northern regions and white Brazilians being in the majority of the southern areas of the country, migration can open possibilities for interracial marriage that are less likely to occur for non-migrants. At the same time, as gender plays an important role in opportunities for intermarriage, the effects of migration likely vary according to intersections of race and gender. An examination of the data on marital unions from the 2009 Brazilian National Household Survey, which includes large numbers of earlier cohorts of mass migration, demonstrates the influence of migration on interracial marriage. This study finds that the effect of migration on the odds of being interracially married (in comparison with being in a same-race marital union) vary according to the race and gender of the spouse. This study is one of the first to tie together two demographic phenomena—migration and interracial marriage—that have not previously been examined in the Brazilian context. It also provides a new lens through which to understand interracial marriage in Brazil and has implications for future studies of family formation in Latin America and the Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beach certification schemes (BCSs) have been designed to bridge the gap between recreation and conservation. However, there is no evidence supporting their effectiveness as tools for achieving a high level of sustainability. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of nine BCSs in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on indicators of sustainable development and integrated coastal management. For this purpose, a list of 27 objectives with 62 indicators was compiled and each scheme's effectiveness was measured by testing 95 requirements found in BCSs against the indicators. The results indicate that the analyzed schemes have low levels of effectiveness. The most effective certification complies with 60% of the indicators, while the average compliance level is only 33%. The weak areas of beach certifications involve, monitoring, management and planning, stakeholder participation, and conflict resolution. A few of the schemes were found to be moderately successful in these areas, but the less effective BCSs focused primarily on amenities and visitor satisfaction. It was found that the effectiveness of the BCSs could be increased by addressing their main weaknesses in a cost-effective manner through the hybridization of environmental management systems and benchmark certifications, and by implementing compliance standards based on beach type. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Economica (00130419) is the property of Universidad Nacional de La Plata and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This narrative review summarizes literature on C. difficile and C. difficile infections (CDI) that emerged from Latin America (LA) between 1984 and 2021. The revised information includes papers in English, Spanish, or Portuguese that were retrieved from the databases Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scielo, and Lilacs. Information is presented chronologically and segregated in subregions, focusing on clinical presentation, risk factors, detection and typing methods, prevalence and incidence rates, circulating strains, and, when available, phenotypic traits, such as antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Studies dealing with cases, clinical aspects of CDI, and performance evaluations of diagnostic methods predominated. However, they showed substantial differences in case definitions, measuring units, populations, and experimental designs. Although a handful of autochthonous strains were identified, predominantly in Brazil and Costa Rica, the presentation and epidemiology of CDI in LA were highly comparable to what has been reported in other regions of the world. Few laboratories isolate and type this bacterium and even less generate whole genome sequences or perform basic science on C. difficile. Less than ten countries lead academic productivity on C. difficile or CDI-related topics, and information from various countries in Central America and the Caribbean is still lacking. The review ends with a global interpretation of the data and recommendations to further develop and consolidate this discipline in LA. • We reviewed more than 200 papers published in Spanish, Portuguese, and English during almost four decades. • Most research on C. difficile in Latin America (LA) has focused on clinical aspects of CDI. • Scientific literature on CDI in LA has mainly emerged from less than 10 countries. • A need for consensus on techniques, case definitions, typing, nomenclature, and sustained funding was identified. • CDI presentation and epidemiology in LA and more developed regions of the world are highly comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) arrived from China to Latin America and the Caribbean in the 1840s due to the massive migration of Chinese people to the region. In a few years, the press noticed the presence of Chinese herbalists practicing in different cities and countries regardless of the demographic weight of the Chinese community. The fascination with Chinese doctors implicated not only the press but also the literature, a phenomenon particularly observed in Cuba. In the first decades of the 20th century, the reactivation of Chinese immigration to the region fostered an anti-Chinese climate that materialized in more significant migratory restrictions and control of their businesses, such as what happened with Chinese herbalists. These herbalists who practiced inside and outside the Chinese community started to object to criticism and persecution by the conservative press and professional doctors. Despite this, Chinese doctors will continue to maintain their support of a significant number of ill persons. This work seeks to illuminate the historical relevance of TCM in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on the cases of Peru, Chile, and Cuba. This last country was far from China culturally and geographically, but as in many other small towns in the region, Chinese medicine presented an alternative to the treatment of illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue continues to be a major public health concern in Latin America and the Caribbean with many countries in the region having experienced drastic increases in the incidence of dengue over the past few years. Dengue virus is predominantly transmitted by the bite of an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito via a process called horizontal transmission. However, the virus may also be transmitted from an infected female mosquito to her offspring by vertical transmission, which occurs via viral invasion of the ovary either at the time of fertilization or during oviposition. In this way, mosquitoes may become dengue virus infected before ever encountering a human host. While some researchers have reported this phenomenon and suggested it may serve as a reservoir for the dengue virus in nature, others have questioned its epidemiological significance because of the low frequency at which it has been observed. Several researchers have either altogether failed to detect it or observed its occurrence at low frequencies. However, some studies have attributed these failures to small sample sizes as well as poor sensitivities of screening methods employed. Therefore, an overview of the occurrence, significance and limitations of detection of vertical transmission of dengue virus in Aedes mosquitoes in nature within Latin America and the Caribbean will be the focus of this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of obesity prevention interventions in Latinx children ages birth to 6 years published in any language from 2010–2020. Design: We used PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and Google Scholar databases to conduct a search on May 1 2020, January 1 2021 and November 1 2022. We included randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies and non-randomised interventions with a control or comparison group that reported measures of adiposity. Setting: Interventions taking place in the United States, Latin America or the Caribbean. Participants: Latinx children ages birth to 6 years. Results: Of 8601 unique records identified, forty manuscripts about thirty-nine unique studies describing thirty distinct interventions in the United States and nine interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean met our inclusion criteria. Interventions were primarily based in early care and education centres (n 13) or combined home settings, for example home and community (n 7). Randomised interventions taking place in community or home settings were more likely to report significant reductions in adiposity or weight-related outcomes compared to other settings. Using the Cochrane risk of bias tools for randomised and non-randomised studies, we judged thirty-eight randomised trials and nine non-randomised interventions to have a high or unclear risk of bias. Conclusions: The results highlight a need for more rigorous designs and more effective intervention strategies in Latinx children at risk for having overweight and obesity. Registered with the PROSPERO database for systematic reviews under registration number CRD42020161339. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, the socioeconomic relationship between Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and the People's Republic of China has increased massively. How has this new qualitative relationship between LAC and China affected inequality in LAC? This paper highlights the degrees of concentration of trade since the 1990s until 2011 and its technological content. Future research will have to deepen this relationship at the national, regional and even firm-level. Based on a brief critical review of the relationship between trade and equality/inequality, the document analyzes several of the outstanding features of the booming trade relationship between LAC and China. It concludes, among other issues, that both academics and policy makers have to overcome the bias against the agricultural sector and natural resources based on the concepts of global commodity chains, systemic competitiveness and territorial endogeneity. In addition, one of the most striking features of the new LAC-China trade is its increasing concentration, both compared with historical levels of LAC-China trade, as well as with the rest of the world, a development that will affect inequality in LAC substantially. It is not "old wine in new bottles," but rather a new socioeconomic relationship with dynamic and profound impacts in LAC that will have to be considered in more detail by scholars and policy makers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare the usefulness for surveillance of the peer-reviewed literature on the prevalence of hypertension in Latin America and the Caribbean published from 2001 to 2010 with a previous study of the published literature from 1962 to 2000. Methods. A bibliographic search was conducted of publications from 2001 to 2010 that examined the prevalence of hypertension using MEDLINE and LILACS databases. The methodology of each paper was evaluated with the same critical appraisal tool used in the previous study. Results. A total of 81 papers were published from 2001 to 2010 on the prevalence of hypertension in Latin America and the Caribbean. Only 24 of these studies met the minimum methodologic criteria for evaluation. While the total number of studies published in the past 10 years exceeds the number published from 1962 to 2000, the percentage of studies that met the minimum methodologic criteria has not substantially increased. In addition to major methodologic shortcomings, less than 46% of the published studies reported rates of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. The hypertension prevalence estimates from the peer-reviewed literature range from 7% to 49%. These studies were primarily done in urban centers and are not evenly distributed throughout the region. Conclusions. The quality and geographic distribution of the published literature on the prevalence of hypertension in Latin America and the Caribbean are inadequate. Research resources and efforts should be directed in the future toward closing this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The vaccine global market is currently growing at a rate of 16.52%. Nowadays the vaccine manufacturing industry is limited in the sense that not all vaccine manufacturers have the capacity to execute all the steps necessary to produce a successful product. The biological variation inherent to vaccine manufacturing and the initial investment required to bring a vaccine to the market are some of the factors that discourage vaccine manufacturing initiatives. Given the current global context in vaccine innovation and production, and the increasing participation of vaccine manufacturers from developing countries in global markets, this paper aims to review vaccine manufacturing capacity in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries with specific focus on trends in national or public sector manufacturing, presenting current challenges and future opportunities for the sector in meeting national and regional (LAC) needs. Despite the overall low vaccine manufacturing capacity reported within the LAC region within this paper, it is considered that the relatively high and concentrated capacity that exists within a number of countries, combined with political commitment of all countries within the Region, can provide the necessary platform for the continued development of capacity in vaccine development and manufacture within LAC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Child maltreatment and substance abuse are both international public health priorities. Research shows that child maltreatment increases the risk for substance use and problems. Thus, recognition of this relationship may have important implications for substance demand reduction strategies, including efforts to prevent and treat substance use and related problems. Latin America and the Caribbean is a rich and diverse region of the world with a large range of social and cultural influences. To date, relatively little work has addressed the link between child maltreatment and substance use in the region. A working group constituted by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in June, 2010 identified this area as a priority area for a multinational research partnership. This paper summarizes existing information on drug use and child maltreatment in six participating countries, Colombia, El Salvador, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama and Uruguay, and considers the implications of child maltreatment prevention for demand reduction strategies to address substance use issues. A CICAD/CAMH-sponsored multinational research partnership has been formed, which will involve research on the link between child maltreatment and substance misuse, expertise exchange and resource sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Prisma Social is the property of Revista Prisma Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Energy transitions are transforming energy systems around the globe. Such a shift has caused the power system to become a critical piece of infrastructure for the economic development of every nation on the planet. Therefore, guaranteeing its security is crucial, not only for energy purposes but also as a part of a national security strategy. This paper presents a multidimensional index developed to assess energy security of electrical systems in the long term. This tool, named the Power System Security Index (PSIx), which has been previously used for the evaluation of a country in two different time frames, is applied to evaluate the member countries of the Latin American Energy Organization, located within the Latin America and the Caribbean region, to measure its performance on energy security. Mixed results were obtained from the analysis, with clear top performers in the region such as Argentina, while there are others with broad areas of opportunity, as is the case of Haiti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bibliometrics play a significant role in evaluating the scientific production of journals and research units such as universities and research centers. The present study aimed to analyze the scientific production of CIMAR (Center for Research in Marine Science and Limnology) from its foundation in 1979 to 2015. We analyzed exclusively articles published in journals and selected those with at least one author affiliated to CIMAR. For the analysis, each article was classified according to the geographical study area, the topic of the investigation, ecosystem, and taxonomic group. We analyzed the following variables: year of publication, language, journal name, and authors. In this study, we analyzed the Bradford distribution, citations, the impact factor, and the quartiles of the journals where papers were published. During the study period, CIMAR produced a total of 791 publications: 624 articles, 90 book chapters or books, 48 booklets, and 34 special issues of the journal Revista de Biología Tropical (RBT). The number of publications showed an increasing trend during the study period, and most articles were written in English (58.3%) and Spanish (41.7%). A total of 128 journals were selected to publish CIMAR's contributions. According to the Bradford method, the journal RBT is in Zone I (major productivity or concentration), with 49.8% of the total scientific production. In relation to authorship, 22 authors with 12 articles or more are registered, and 80% of the articles have been published by authors with a low (42 authors) and medium productivity level (44 authors). CIMAR published 81.6% regarding marine topics and 18.4% about limnology. Most of the articles (51.9%) dealt with the Pacific of Costa Rica, 13.5% with the Caribbean and 34.7% referred to other study locations. The publications of CIMAR were mainly about ecology (33.3%), taxonomy (24.5%) and oceanography/meteorology (12.7%). CIMAR has a highly trained and specialized staff that has gained experience and is contributing to the implementation and evaluation of Costa Rica's science, technology and innovation policies through both interdisciplinary research and the development of institutional as well as professional capacities in a framework of dialogue and public-private agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work studies urban form and function in Hispanic American colonial port cities. By combining different research questions and points of view, new insights are given into matters such as the origin of their urban grids, the development of their fortifications throughout the colonial era, and the military versus trade function they accomplished. The focus is on Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, with other Hispanic colonial cities also included in the discussion. The field work is based on primary literature about colonial laws and ordinances and the reports of several viceroys in the eighteenth century as well as a wide array of secondary literature in different languages. The results show that, while these cities fulfilled an important role as trade nodes, this function was second to their military role. However, both functions are found to be interdependent in a number of ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the literature on the convergence problem by studying whether there is β-convergence between the economies of Latin America and the Caribbean by analyzing the trend in beta convergence, calculating regressions between ten-year periods of economic growth and the logarithm of per capita income. Thus, the trend of convergence from 1950 can be studied and any sub-period in which absolute convergence has occurred can be detected. For that purpose, the current study uses data from the Penn World Tables between 1950 and 2019 for all economies in the region. Although wider sample empirical tests in the 1990s found little evidence of unconditional convergence of poor countries from the 1950s on, this study tests whether these results still hold for the subsample of Latin American and Caribbean economies. While the Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries show a divergence pattern, the economic integration among the Caribbean Islands is yielding fruit in terms of σ-convergence. The main policy implication is that a major integration of Latin American countries would support convergence to a common steady state. Hence, all the countries should implement policies to develop their comparative advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an important public health concern due to its causative role in many cancers, especially cervical cancer, and other conditions that lead to serious health consequences in both men and women. In Latin America and the Caribbean, nearly 60,000 new cases of cervical cancer and another 7,000 HPV-associated cancers are diagnosed annually. HPV vaccination combined with comprehensive cervical cancer control programmingis paving the way for eliminating cervical cancer as a major public health problem and drastically reducing other HPV-associated diseases. To date, 44 countries and territories in the Americas have introduced HPV vaccines as part of their national immunization programs and cervical cancer control strategies. Early lessons from HPV vaccine introduction suggest that transparent and credible evidence-based decision-making, information, education and communication about HPV and cervical cancer, coordination with existing cervical cancer control initiatives, and precise planning for ensuring effective uptake of the vaccine in target groups are all critical elements of success. There is an urgent need for strategies to increase HPV vaccine coverage, and as the integrated control programs evolve and other HPV-associated disease becomes important for public health, there will be a need for continued program and policy evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cervical cancer is one of the deadliest cancers among women in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC), where most of the countries have not been successful in implementing population-level cytology-based screening programs. An increasing body of evidence supports the validity of selfsampling as an alternative to clinician collection for primary Human papillomavirus (HPV) screening. Therefore, this work aims to summarize recent HPV self-sampling approaches in LAC. Method: We performed a systematic review to identify studies focused on "Self-sampling", and "Human Papillomavirus DNA test" and "Latin America" in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane library and SCOPUS databases for publications dating between 01 January 2017 and 15 March 2022 based on the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Additionally, the references of the articles were carefully reviewed. Results: Of the 97 records selected, 20 studies including 163,787 participants, with sample sizes for individual studies ranging from 24 to 147,590 were included in this review. Studies were conducted in 10 LAC countries (18.5%), most with upper medium-income economies (70%). The range of age was 18 to =65 years. The vast majority of the studies (85%) addressed the HPV selfsampling strategy for primary cervical cancer screening with overall success for all women including under/never screened and those from special populations (rural, indigenous and gender minorities). Women generally found HPV selfsampling highly acceptable regardless of age, setting of collection, target population or country of residence. Conclusions: HPV self-sampling is a promising strategy to overcome the multiple barriers to cervical cancer screening in LAC settings and increasing attendance in underscreened women in countries/territories with wellestablished screening programs. Furthermore, this strategy is useful even in LAC countries/territories without organized cervical cancer screening and in special populations such as indigenous, rural and transgender women. Therefore, the information generated by the recent initiatives for HPV selfsampling approach in LAC can be beneficial for decision-making in both new and existing programs in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, nations have struggled during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. However, Latin America and the Caribbean faced an unmatched catastrophic toll. As of March 2022, the region has reported approximately 15% of cases and 28% of deaths worldwide. Considering the relatively late arrival of SARS‐CoV‐2, several factors in the region were determinants of the humanitarian crisis that ensued. Pandemic unpreparedness, fragile healthcare systems, forthright inequalities, and poor governmental support facilitated the spread of the virus throughout the region. Moreover, reliance on repurposed and ineffective drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin—to treat or prevent COVID‐19—was publicised through misinformation and created a false sense of security and poor adherence to social distancing measures. While there were hopes that herd immunity could be achieved after the region's disastrous first peak, the emergence of the Gamma, Lambda, and Mu variants made this unattainable. This review explores how Latin America and the Caribbean fared during the first 2 years of the pandemic, and how, despite all the challenges, the region became a global leader in COVID‐19 vaccination, with 63% of its population fully vaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Monetary policy ensures the financial system stabilization. Financial inclusion, characterized by the access and use of available financial services (credit, savings, payments, insurance at a low cost), by a broader population, may explain the effectiveness of the monetary policy, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study is to carry out a comparative analysis between the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), on the causal relationship between financial inclusion and monetary policy, as well as to assess the impact of financial inclusion over monetary policy. To support our study, we applied the panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) methodology, simple panel data models, and a feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) model. Results provide strong evidence of the existence of reverse causality between financial inclusion and monetary policy in both SSA and LAC, with monetary policy facilitating financial inclusion in both regions. Financial inclusion increases the effectiveness of monetary policy in SSA, while for LAC financial inclusion improves the efficiency of monetary policy. Thus, increased access to and use of financial services increase the efficiency of monetary policy in controlling inflation. Governments are encouraged to design or enhance policies that expand financial services, as well as to promote investment in financial inclusion in developing countries, to maintain the monetary system stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its epidemiology in Latin America and the Caribbean is not well described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of COPD in Latin America and the Caribbean.Methods: We searched systematically in Web of Science (WoS)/Core Collection, WoS/MEDLINE, WoS/Scielo, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase from 2010 to 2021. Studies assessing the prevalence and incidence of COPD according to the GOLD classification were included. The overall prevalence of COPD was calculated as a function of the general population using a random-effects model.Results: 20 studies (19 cross-sectional and 1 cohort) met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of COPD in the general population older than 35 years was 8.9%. The prevalence in men was 13.7% and in women 6.7%. The prevalence in smokers and ex-smokers was 24.3%. The incidence in the general population of COPD according to one study was 3.4% at 9 years of follow-up.Conclusions: COPD is prevalent in Latin America, especially in men and in smokers and ex-smokers. Further prevalence and incidence studies in the general population are needed, as well as health policies and strategies to address the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we take a look at the process of technology development in Latin America and the Caribbean using the surrogate measure of US patents granted as a tangible, quantified and recorded output of the technology development process. Our data include all the US patents granted between 1991-2008, in which at least one inventor was a resident of the country studied. We first compared the growth of patents developed in the top 10 economies in Latin America and the Caribbean with those of the top 10 economies of Asia. As expected, in terms of technology development, we observed wide variation among the countries in each of the two regions. We also observed the rapid growth exhibited by the Asian as opposed to the Latin American and Caribbean countries. We then investigated in detail the nature of technological development followed by Brazil in the South American region by studying: a) the category of the patent - utility or design; b) the ownership of the patents; c) the technology trajectory the patent belongs to; d) organisational status of the assignee, whether individual, corporate or an institute; e) residence status of the team of inventors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only six countries have banned the industrial use of asbestos in Latin America and the Caribbean. In fact, the industrial use of asbestos appears to be growing in this region. Asbestos is one of the most dangerous natural substances in the world, it is contained in several types of rocks (such as serpentinites, mafic and ultramafic rocks) but fibers can be released to the atmosphere both by natural and anthropogenic sources. Six countries have banned the industrial use of asbestos in this region, we expected that laws established before 2007 would be less adherent to the 2007 WHO/ILO recommendations. In contrast, the Chilean law of 2001 is one of those that most adheres to international recommendations along with the Colombian law of 2021. Which means that the newest laws are not necessarily the strongest. This article aims to draw a regional overview of the laws against asbestos production in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each national policy. We recommend that countries that have already banned asbestos consider updating and strengthening their existing laws and develop clinical guidelines for the management, monitoring, and rehabilitation of asbestos-related diseases. The challenge of asbestos goes far beyond a prohibition law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The explosion of global container trade in the last two decades has significantly influenced the port geography of Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), leading to a concentration of container traffic at selected ports. Theory suggests that, as port systems become mature, they tend to deconcentration, partly due to the emergence of secondary ports. Previous research has examined the region’s dominant ports, but an unanswered research question is how the evolution of this port system is influencing and being influenced by the actions of those ports currently occupying a secondary rank in the LAC port hierarchy. The methodology is based primarily on analysis of time series data on container movements between 1997 and 2012, revealing patterns of cargo flows and transhipment location choices. The institutional context of devolution processes and new investments in the region provides additional insight into the performance of selected ports. From a theoretical perspective, this analysis is situated within the context of recent institutional approaches that examine the port’s ability to act through critical moments and junctures, in order to deepen understanding of which of the various factors influencing port system deconcentration are the most sensitive to successful institutional adaptations. Results show that the manufacturing of strategic locations can be successful and may have driven the emergence of secondary ports in the LAC system. This finding demonstrates how path dependence can be challenged by new developments, the identification and success of which are nevertheless contingent on factors such as the first mover advantage, port planning regimes and diversification of port roles. The paper identifies some of the key factors influencing the transition of a port system from concentration at a few dominant ports to a deconcentrated system of primary and secondary ports, which can be applied to other port systems in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Different world regions have followed very different trajectories for natural resources use over the recent decades. Latin America has pursued a development path based largely on exports of primary resources. Adopting this path has characteristic environmental and social impacts. In this paper, we provide the first broad based estimate of material use and material efficiency for the region, beginning in 1970 and extending to the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008. The results show a region with rapidly growing primary materials consumption, which is simultaneously becoming less efficient at converting those resources into national income. Using an IPAT framework, we found that population growth and rising per-capita incomes made comparable contributions to growing material use, while technological change as reflected in material intensity, did not moderate consumption. Increasing materials intensity, observed for the region as a whole, is also observed for most individual countries. This contrasts with some other world regions, and implies that many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will confront higher environmental pressures than expected when expanding their extractive industries to take advantage of new demand from other world regions, while simultaneously supplying the requirements for their own domestic industrial transformations and urbanization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) contain more tropical high-biodiversity forest than the remaining areas of the planet combined, yet experienced more than a third of global deforestation during the first decade of the 21st century. While drivers of forest change occur at multiple scales, we examined forest change at the municipal and national scales integrated with global processes such as capital, commodity, and labor flows. We modeled multi-scale socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental drivers of local forest cover change. Consistent with LAC's global leadership in soy and beef exports, primarily to China, Russia, the US, and the EU, national-level beef and soy production were the primary land use drivers of decreased forest cover. National level gross domestic product (GDP), migrant worker remittances and foreign investment, along with municipal-level temperature and area, were also significantly related to reduced forest cover. This challenges forest transition frameworks, which theorize that rising GDP and intensified agricultural production should be increasingly associated with forest regrowth. Instead, LAC forest change was linked to local, national, and global demographic, dietary and economic transitions, resulting in massive net forest cover loss. This suggests an urgent need to reconcile forest conservation with mounting global demand for animal protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: School feeding programs (SFPs) can play a crucial role in the emergency food and nutrition response, but there is a dearth of information on how SFPs operate during emergencies. Design and Methods: A rapid comparative assessment of 11 SFPs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from (1) systematic document search and (2) surveys with key informants (n = 23) about barriers/facilitators to modifications were systematically analyzed using a multiple case study approach. Results: During the pandemic, all SFPs continued (although continuation plans varied from a few days in Chile to > 1 month in Puerto Rico) via food kits, food vouchers, and/or grab n' go meals. The SFP implementation was highly dependent on the programs' autonomy and financial support, which impacted their logistics to acquire and distribute foods during the pandemic. The types of foods offered in some SFPs suggest that established nutritional guidelines were not always followed. Key informants expressed concerns about the deterioration of the nutritional quality of foods offered during the pandemic and lack of community engagement that impeded distribution to the neediest. Conclusions: Results underscore the urgency for clear implementation guidance on how to modify SFP during emergencies. Public health implications include (1) allocation of autonomous resources to an intersectoral working group to safeguard nutritional benefits during emergencies, (2) strengthening efforts of SFP community engagement before and during emergencies, and (3) establishing guidelines of the types of foods that can be distributed to meet the nutritional needs of beneficiaries during emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of international sanctions on the economic development of sanctioned countries in the Latin American and Caribbean regions over seven decades (1950–2019). The estimates arise from a two‐way fixed effects model that combines data from the Global Sanctions Database and the World Development Indicators Database to examine outcomes in terms of economic growth, income inequality, and the incidence and gap of poverty. The findings confirm a significant worsening of development in sanctioned countries. This includes lower growth (−0.6 percentage points) and higher inequality (+1.5 Gini coefficient points). Reduced investment as well as reduced access to credit in the private sector are the mechanisms through which the above effects take place. The results are robust to multiple specifications and have important implications for international sanctions policies. If the sanctioning country seeks to minimise the consequences for the poorest in the sanctioned country, military sanctions appear to be the most appropriate, while if the objective is to maximise these consequences, sanctions on mobility are optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]