Port of Spain: April 10, 2024: On April 15, 2024, the Ministry of Health will launch its nationwide STEPS Survey 2024 to gather information from households across Trinidad and Tobago on lifestyle practices.
The STEPS survey is a World Health Organisation (WHO) STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS) which allows for collecting, analysing and disseminating data on key Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) risk factors in countries. The survey instrument also covers key behavioural risk factors including tobacco use, alcohol use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, as well as key biological risk factors such as obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, and abnormal blood lipids.
The STEPS survey, led by the Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases Unit, will be used to monitor this country’s trends as it relates to NCDs, with the objective to inform policy decisions and behavior change communications by the Ministry.
The public is advised that all field staff will be dressed in high-visibility vests with the Ministry of Health’s and the STEPS survey logos for identification purposes. The field staff will also have assigned Ministry of Health ID cards.
The public is encouraged to cooperate with the field staff, so that the correct information can be provided if their household is indeed selected. All information collected during this survey will follow strict confidentiality protocols and will not be shared outside of the exercise. The Ministry advises that the STEPS survey is not a census.
The success of the STEPS survey and the quality of the resulting data is largely dependent on the cooperation of citizens who fall within the survey sample. Therefore, the Ministry of Health seeks the public’s cooperation, time and patience as we seek to improve the health of all.
For more information, the public may contact the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit at 217-4664 ext. 16623.
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