A research collaboration focused on chronic disease in the Eastern Caribbean
The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) is a collaborative research study that examines the lifestyles, eating habits, and health behaviors associated with cancer, diabetes and heart disease in adult men and women living in the Eastern Caribbean. Funded by the National Institute for Minority Health Disparities (NIMHD), ECHORN presents a unique opportunity to identify risk and protective factors for chronic disease in a diverse population over time.
ECHORN members include Yale University, the University of Puerto Rico, the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados and St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, and the University of the Virgin Islands.
The three major components of ECHORN are:
Cohort Study: ECHORN recruits and collects data from adults living in the Eastern Caribbean to look at risk factors for chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease over time.
Data Collection: ECHORN asks participants to complete a health questionnaire and a brief physical examination.
Biobanking: ECHORN collects blood samples from participants for use in future studies to identify genetic markers of health.
Virtual Curriculum (VC): An online learning platform for ECHORN network members. The VC engages users through interactive research skills and knowledge modules.
Learning Exchange Workshops (LEWs): Educational opportunities for site teams and their partnering academic institutions. LEWs are held each year at different island sites.
Research and Projects in Development (RAPID): Mentorship for Junior Research Faculty across the collaborating academic institutions.
Fellowships: A training opportunity for post-doctoral students interested in gaining skills in research leadership.
Symposia: An annual meeting to promote career development and cross-site networking and collaboration. Symposia rotate across the sites.
ECHORN engages with policymakers across the Caribbean region through its partnerships with local government leaders, community advisory boards and with global organizations such as the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute (GHLI) and the Pan American Health Education Foundation (PAHEF).
News
06.02.2014 | Data Collection Has Started in ECHORN:Trinidad!
Visit our participants page to get more information about the ECHORN study and Community Assessment Centers in each of our sites.
05.30.2014 | ECHORN:USVI Raises NCD Awareness at St. Thomas Health Fair
On Saturday, May 24, 2014, ECHORN:USVI joined others at the health fair held by the Health Ministry of the St. Thomas Assembly of God in St. Thomas, USVI. The purpose of the fair was to educate the community on healthy … Read More
Our Network
The ECHORN network includes four island site teams, a coordinating center located at Yale University, and a steering committee. A faculty advisory board and community advisory board serve as resources to the network. Site teams recruit participants and gather study data. The teams include a site principal investigator, a junior faculty member, a project manager, research assistants, and a clinical research nurse. Site teams may also include a community outreach officer.
Leaders:
Principal Investigator, ECHORN
Chair, Steering Committee, ECHORN
Associate Professor, Yale University, Schools of Medicine and Public Health
Principal Investigator, ECHORN: Barbados
Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill
Principal Investigator, ECHORN: Puerto Rico
Professor of Epidemiology, University of Puerto Rico, Graduate School of Public Health
Maxine Nunez, DPH, MSN, CNE, RN
Principal Investigator, ECHORN: U.S. Virgin Islands
Professor of Nursing, University of the Virgin Islands, School of Nursing
Rohan Maharaj, BSc, MBBS, MHSc, DM, FCCFP
Principal Investigator, ECHORN: Trinidad & Tobago
Lecturer, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine
Director, ECHORN Coordinating Center (ECC)
Research Associate, Yale University, School of Medicine
Our Four Islands
ECHORN’s inaugural sites are located in Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The sites represent populations of substantial racial/ethnic, socioeconomic and linguistic diversity.
Participants are seen at community assessment centers located at each site.
Puerto Rico
Graduate School of Public Health
Main Building, 4th Floor,
Suite A477-C
U.S. Virgin Islands
Sugar Estate Park 52 F-1 Estate Thomas Unit K2012, St. Thomas, USVI 00802
1120
King Street, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820
Our Meetings
Symposia
The annual ECHORN symposium is an opportunity for cross-island networking and collaboration. Activities at each symposia focus on strengthening network members’ skills and knowledge in research methods and strategies. Symposia rotate across the island sites.
April 15-17, 2015
Fourth Annual ECHORN Symposium
Bridgetown, Barbados ECHORN members only
Learning Exchange Workshops
Each year, ECHORN hosts learning workshops for site teams and their partnering academic institutions. The workshops are taught by visiting faculty and feature a topic area chosen by the island site. Workshops are open to faculty, graduate students, fellows, and research professionals. LEWs rotate across the island sites.
April 3-4, 2014
Learning Exchange Workshop 3
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
For Participants
We know diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease are on the rise in the Caribbean region. It is our hope that the ECHORN study will advance our understanding of the factors associated with these conditions. The information we get from every single participant in the ECHORN study makes a difference. We thank each of you for taking the time to be a part of this endeavor and hope you will continue to be active in the study.
View Participants PageFor Researchers
The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) welcomes proposals from external investigators that seek to enhance the understanding of non-communicable chronic diseases in the Eastern Caribbean region. ECHORN facilitates the development of a population based cohort in Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Its main aim is to estimate the prevalence of both known and potential risk factors associated with the development of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
View Researchers PageContact Us
Please contact us to:
- - Be added to the ECHORN newsletter (KeyNotes) mailing list
- - Attend an upcoming ECHORN meeting
- - Get more information about the ECHORN network or project
- - Get information about fellowships, internships, or other opportunities