Regulatory Frameworks for Digital Health in Latin American and the Caribbean: Electronic Health Records: Progresses and Next Steps

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

To promote the digital transformation of health systems, it is essential that the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have solid regulatory frameworks that facilitate the implementation and use of digital solutions. This study identifies the key aspects that the regulatory frameworks should include to promote the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems and analyzes the progress and areas for improvement in 26 countries in the region.

The Challenge of Integrating Early Childhood Services with Caribbean Health Systems

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

Initial results from an innovative parenting program in Jamaica showed that it benefited children’s cognitive development and parents’ attitudes about caring for children. However, evaluations in subsequent years found that these effects had disappeared. In this post, we present an early childhood program that is incorporated into the country’s health system, as well as the program’s short- and medium-term results, the lessons it taught us, and the lingering questions it raised.

Better Pension Institutions for a Post-COVID-19 World in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Role of Pension Advisory Councils

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

An important pending issue in the pension systems in Latin America and the Caribbean is that they lack an institutional framework that facilitates their timely adaptation to the demographic change that is coming and to the potential social and fiscal tensions that this can generate. This limitation causes governments to adjust the system occasionally and delay the necessary reforms, typically at a time when technical options are very limited and action must be almost immediate. The pressure for short-term results can also imply significant sacrifices for the affected generations.

Better Pension Institutions for a Post-COVID-19 World in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Role of Pension Advisory Councils

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

An important pending issue in the pension systems in Latin America and the Caribbean is that they lack an institutional framework that facilitates their timely adaptation to the demographic change that is coming and to the potential social and fiscal tensions that this can generate. This limitation causes governments to adjust the system occasionally and delay the necessary reforms, typically at a time when technical options are very limited and action must be almost immediate. The pressure for short-term results can also imply significant sacrifices for the affected generations.

Responsive Interactions for Learning: Helping Children Reach Their Potential

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

In low- and middle-income countries, approximately 250 million children fail to reach their developmental potential. One way to help these children thrive is by supporting their parents and caregivers to engage in responsive caregiving, an important component of Nurturing Care, and a practice that has been proven to support children’s socioemotional and cognitive development.  

Migrants in Latin America: Disparities in Health Status and in Access to Healthcare

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

The large magnitude and sudden nature of recent migration flows in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) impose challenges to receiving countries health systems, which have to provide care to a larger population. These challenges are magnified by the fact that recent waves of migrants are particularly vulnerable to health risks in LAC and may not have full access to healthcare.

The Profiles of Immigrants in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Focus on Economic Integration

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

We employ recent household surveys and population censuses to present a profile of immigrants in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on economic integration. By comparing the profile of immigrants with that of the non-immigrant population we identify gaps in several dimensions such as education, informality and skill downgrading. The exercise allows us to discuss some migration-related topics that are important not only for the countries that are receiving the bulk of the Venezuelan migration but also more generally across the region.

The Effects of Mass Migration on The Academic Performance of Native Students: Evidence from Chile

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

Using longitudinal data and a Difference-in-Difference approach, this paper examines how the mass inflow of Venezuelan and Haitian migrants to Chile has influenced the learning outcomes of native students. The evidence shows negative effects on standardized test scores, especially in male students (-0.058SD). Said effects are considerably greater in Reading (-0.084SD) when examining the migration of non-Spanish speakers (mainly Haitians). When the shock is due to Venezuelan students, negative effects in Mathematics are observed equally strongly in male and female students (-0.053SD).

South-South Migration and Female Labor Supply in the Dominican Republic

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

We study the effects of female immigration on the labor supply of Dominican-born women of different educational levels and family structures. Using individual-level data for 2003 - 2016 and exploiting geographic variation in early immigrant settlements together with time variation in female immigration inflows, we find that female immigration is associated with a decrease in the labor supply of low educated women at the intensive margin (hours worked) and with an increase in the labor supply at the intensive margin of highly educated women with family dependents (relative to

The Effects of Mass Migration on Natives' Wages: Evidence from Chile

Submitted by SPH DIGITAL on

Using cross-section data and an instrumental variable approach, this paper examines the mass migration process that occurred in Chile between 2015 and 2017. Evidence indicates that this process reduced wages for less skilled native workers by around 2-3 percent, mostly impacting males. These workers are competing with more educated immigrants, suggesting a downgrading effect. Results are robust to multiple IV tests.