West Indian Med J 2012; 61 (4): 372 From: 1 Epidemiology Research Unit, Tropical Medicine Research Institute, TheUniversityoftheWestIndies,Kingston7,Jamaica, 2 Research Resource Unit, Dean’s Office, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica and 3 Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica. Correspondence: Dr TS Ferguson, Tropical Medicine Research Institute (Epidemiology Research Unit), The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica. E-mail: trevor.ferguson02@uwimona.edu.jm National Health Surveys and Health Policy: Impact of the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Surveys and the Reproductive Health Surveys TS Ferguson 1 , MK Tulloch-Reid 1 , G Gordon-Strachan 2 , P Hamilton 3 , RJ Wilks 1 ABSTRACT Over the last six decades, comprehensive national health surveys have become important data- gathering mechanisms to inform countries on their health status and provide information for health policy and programme planning. Developing countries have only recently begun such surveys and Jamaica has been at the forefront of this effort. Jamaica’s Reproductive Health Surveys and programme response to their findings have resulted in an almost 50% reduction in fertility rates over three decades as well as a 40% reduction in unmet contraceptive needs and a 40% reduction in unplanned preg- nancies over the last two decades. The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Surveys have served to reinforce the major burden that non-communicable diseases place on the society and the extent to which these are driven by unhealthy lifestyles. These surveys have shown that obesity, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia affect approximately 50%, 25%, 10% and 10% of the adult population, respectively. These surveys have documented low rates of treatment and control for these chronic non-communicable diseases despite two major policy initiatives, the National Programme for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and the creation of the National Health Fund which subsidizes healthcare provision for chronic diseases. In order to maximize the uptake of the findings of future surveys into effective health policy, there will need to be effective collaborations between academia, policy-makers, regional and international health agencies, non-government organizations and civil society. Such collaborations should take into account the social, political and economic issues, thus ensuring a more comprehensive approach to health policy and result in improvement of the nation’s health status and by extension national development. Keywords: Caribbean, developing countries, health examination surveys, health interview surveys, health policy, Jamaica, national health surveys Estudios y Políticas Nacionales de Salud: Repercusión de los Estudios de Estilo de vida y Salud, así como de los Estudios de Salud Reproductiva en Jamaica TS Ferguson 1 , MK Tulloch-Reid 1 , G Gordon-Strachan 2 , P Hamilton 3 , RJ Wilks 1 RESUMEN Durante las últimas seis décadas, los estudios de salud integrales nacionales han devenido importantes mecanismos de recolección de datos para informar a los países sobre sus respectivos estados de salud, así como brindar información para el planeamiento de los programas y políticas de salud. Sólo recientemente los países en desarrollo han comenzado a realizar esos estudios, y Jamaica ha estado a la vanguardia de este esfuerzo. Los Estudios de Salud Reproductiva en Jamaica y los programas en respuesta a sus hallazgos han traído como resultado una reducción de casi un 50% en las tasas de fertilidad por espacio de más de tres décadas, así como una reducción de 40% de las necesidades anticonceptivas insatisfechas y una reducción de 40% de embarazos no planificados en las últimas dos décadas. Los Estudios sobre Estilo de Vida y Salud en Jamaica han servido para dar mayor peso a