STEPS survey extended due to lack of participation

By Aabigayle McIntosh

The Statistics Department is extending the deadline for the STEPS survey because of insufficient response from the public.

Rohan Anthony, Senior Statistician at the Statistics Department, mentioned that the usual level of cooperation they are accustomed to has not been received since the survey commenced in November 2023.

“The Statistics Division has been doing surveys all the time and we end up with a 90-plus response rate for this survey, it is not happening. So, we are here again begging for people to participate,” Anthony said.

The Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is spearheading the STEPS Survey, which is a Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s) Risk factor population-based survey.

This is the first nationally representative survey to collect comprehensive information on NCDs in Antigua and Barbuda. It will provide essential information on key indicators for non-communicable diseases for persons aged 18-69 years.

The survey also has the potential for data collected to support target 3.4 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a one-third reduction in premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2030.

NCDs are a major problem in Antigua and Barbuda. In 2020 among all deaths reported in the country which counts for 490 deaths, a total of 83 deaths occurred before age 70 years due to NCDs

Anthony emphasized the importance of the information for devising strategies to combat the disease, underscoring the necessity for residents to participate when Enumerators visit each household.

Nurse Williams attributes the lack of response to health literacy issues in Antigua and Barbuda, citing some of the responses as evidence.

“Some of the excuses that persons are giving is that they went to the doctor previously. You can go to the doctor yesterday, but your blood pressure today and yesterday is not the same. The information we collect is confidential we are looking for information on the risk factors for NCD’s,” Williams said.

She explained that some residents are also reporting they have not heard much information about the exercise, so they are not doing last-minute public awareness again to promote the initiative.

The deadline for the survey to conclude has been extended four times and is not set for the end of March.