The prevalence of non-communicable diseases and related risk factors in young adults in the Caribbean islands: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) contribute to 70% of deaths across the Caribbean. This is driven by an aging population, increased urbanisation and a high susceptibility to climate change and natural disasters. Young adults represent a significant proportion of the Caribbean population and are expected to be disproportionately affected by the burden of NCDs in the near future. However, data surrounding NCD risk and prevalence in young adults across the Caribbean is limited. This scoping review aims to examine the current evidence on NCDs and their associated risk factors within this population. METHODS: The following databases were searched from inception until June 2024: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies with data related to NCD prevalence, physical risk factors for NCDs, and behavioural risk factors for NCDs in people aged 17-30 in countries within the Caribbean islands were included. Data related to study design, population characteristics, outcome measures, and key findings were extracted. RESULTS: 11 studies were included in the final review. The majority were conducted in Jamaica (n = 5), with Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Grenada, Cuba, and Puerto Rico also represented. Only the prevalence of T2DM (0.0-2.9%), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (8.3%) and cardiac disease (1.0%) was reported. The most common physical risk factor was hypertension (1.5-20.9%) and low [HDL] was the most prevalent risk factor (15.9%-47.0%). Few studies reporting behavioural risk factors indicated that poorer behaviours were associated with increased prevalence of physical risk factors. Gender differences were observed, women generally exhibited a greater prevalence of physical and behavioural risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review highlights the need for further research surrounding NCD risk and prevalence among young adults across the Caribbean. Generating further data on this topic will aid in developing targeted health-based initiatives to reduce the current and future burden of NCDs across the region.