Globalization and Urbanization; their impact on the everyday lives and health of St. Lucians

Globalization & Urbanization: Their impact on the everyday lives and health of St. Lucians.

The leading cause of death in St. Lucia is non-communicable disease. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 33% of all deaths on the island and 74% of the population is classified as overweight or obese. St. Lucia recently transitioned from an agricultural to tourism based economy, and this change has increased rates of urbanization. A qualitative study conducted in July 2013, examined the cultural beliefs and practices related to cardiovascular risk factors in St. Lucia. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with St. Lucians aged 25 to 55 years old. The participants discussed all aspects of their lives with specific concentration on health status, knowledge of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease risk factors, diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking and beliefs about body size. Similarities appeared in three areas: (1) Change in the nature / status of employment ultimately leading to a change in lifestyle (2) Dissonance between beliefs and behavior regarding healthy diet primarily due to the increasing unavailability and rising costs of fresh healthy food versus the availability and inexpensive price point of less healthy alternatives (3) Insufficient exercise because of participants’ hesitation to venture outdoors unaccompanied due to safety and traffic concerns. This presentation explores these three findings through the lens of globalization and urbanization. It details, using real examples, the impact of those phenomena on the everyday lives and health of people living in St. Lucia.