Pilot NCD survey set for September

The Division of Public Health will be implementing a pilot survey for non-communicable diseases, or NCDs, starting Sept. 5 that will serve as the baseline survey on health in the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Esther Muña announced the start of the survey after a meeting with public health officials and three Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials yesterday morning.

The pilot survey was supposed to be implemented in August this year but was pushed back another month due to data gathering and more information needed.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials, left side, meet with Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. officials yesterday morning at the hospital’s conference room to discuss the pilot survey for non-communicable disease, a kick-starter for many surveys within the Pacific Region, along. (Jayson Camacho)

“We’ve come along way and moving it back a month is a good thing,” Muña said.

Not only will the pilot survey help determine the prevalence rate of NCDs in the CNMI, but it will also capture better and accurate data among adults.

Becky Robles, administrator of DPH’s NCD Bureau, said it will be a baseline survey on where CNMI is health-wise and would help CHCC determine its priorities and what programs are needed.

Robles said the baseline survey is necessary because right now the numbers they have are spotty—only collected when a person visits the hospital or clinics, in school surveys, the CNMI Behavioral Health Survey, and other statistic collection that cannot determine the prevalence rate of NCDs in the community.

CDC public health adviser Stacy DeJesus said the CNMI will be the model for the Pacific region so everyone is interested in the survey.

“We really want to take this pilot survey and try to implement it in other areas of the Pacific because this survey—compared to other surveys such as World Health Organization’s STEP survey—so that the CNMI will have preliminary data by December,” DeJesus said.

She said it is important to have the baseline study in order to observe changes in future surveys.

The pilot survey will be for adults 18 and over. DeJesus said it will be done via door-to-door. It won’t target every house in the village but a percentage of residents.

CHCC Public Health medical director Dr. Dan Lamar said the results would also be helpful in making policies and introduction of legislation.

The survey will take three months or until December, according to Robles, and would include Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. A total of 30 surveyors will going into the field.

DPH director Margaret Aldan said that respondents will be asked a number of questions and their height and weight will be measured.

Questions will pertain to mammograms, Pap tests, colonoscopy, general health questions, smoking, alcohol, betel nut chewing, food consumption, drinks such as sugar-sweetened beverages, physical activity, among others.

Also blood sugar, cholesterol, and pressure checks will be done on the spot. There are more than 100 questions and will take 45 minutes to answer.

A decision has also been made that the baseline survey will no longer be put together with the CNMI Behavioral Health Survey but will work with the Community Guidance Center.

Those who will go into the field to do the survey are now being trained, with funding provided by WHO, CDC, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. NMC-CREES and CGC are also providing in-kind support.

Today, July 31, every stakeholder will be meeting at 8am to 11am to discuss further details of the baseline survey. This includes CHCC’s Community Guidance Center, the Department of Commerce, and NMC-CREES.