CIAO DATE: 07/2010
June 2010
Center for Strategic and International Studies
On March 17, 2010, the CSIS Americas Program, in partnership with the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF), and the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, hosted a half-day conference entitled “The Challenge of Chronic Diseases on the U.S.-Mexico Border.” The U.S.-Mexico border region, roughly 60 miles on either side of the international boundary, features unique demographic and health challenges. Although they may be citizens of different countries, the 11.8 million people living on both sides of the border share striking similarities in the health challenges they face. In recent decades, considerable migration from rural to urban environments, combined with changing occupational patterns and poor urban planning, has dramatically changed the lifestyle of these border populations. Chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, and liver disease, are now the leading cause of death in the region.
Resource link: The Challenge of Chronic Diseases on the U.S.-Mexico Border [PDF] - 1.1M