Background: The South Florida region is home to over 85,000 Jamaican immigrants. Yet, little is known about the dietary intakes and predictors of risk of disease within this immigrant group. An assessment of dietary intakes and the development of dietary intake methodologies specific to the Jamaican population was important as it permitted accurate estimation of the nutrient intakes of this immigrant population whose dietary habits are not well documented. In addition, nothing is known about the prevalence of risk factors for heart disease or factors influencing risk factors among this immigrant group. The purpose of this study was to assess the nutrient intakes of Jamaican immigrants, develop a dietary assessment tool for use among Jamaican immigrants, determine factors associated with dietary intake pattern, and examine the association between acculturation, dietary intake pattern, and risk factors for heart disease. Methods: A randomized 2-stage cluster sample design was used to identify Jamaican persons 25-64 years old within community organizations and churches in two Florida counties. Twenty-four hour recalls were conducted among 45 randomly selected persons to estimate nutrient intakes and determine foods for inclusion on a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ). Ninety-one persons, including the 45 who participated in 24-hour dietary recalls, were administered a general health questionnaire that assessed acculturation, dietary intake pattern, and the prevalence of risk factors for heart disease. Predictors of dietary intake pattern, obesity, physical activity, hypertension, and diabetes were examined. Twenty-four hour recalls were analyzed using the Nutrient Data System for Research to obtain nutrient content information. Data from the health questionnaire was analyzed using linear, logistic, and mixed models in the SAS statistical software package. Results: A total of 82 foods were included in the development of the QFFQ. As hypothesized, results for dietary intake pattern showed that less acculturated persons consumed traditional food more days per week compared to more acculturated persons (β=0.03 p<0.05). Other statistically significant predictors of dietary intake pattern included educational attainment (β=-0.56), socialization with other Jamaicans ((β=-0.44), age of migration to the US (β=0.02), and marital status (β=0.32). Findings for risk factor outcomes showed that women were less likely to be obese compared to men (β=-0.83 p<0.05) and older persons were more likely to be obese (β=0.05 p<0.05). Results for hypertension showed that less acculturated persons were more likely to have hypertension (β=0.05 p<0.05). Other statistically significant predictors of hypertension included educational attainment, obesity, and age. The small sample size precluded obtaining results for diabetes and physical activity. Conclusion: Study results demonstrated that acculturation is an important predictor of both dietary intake pattern and hypertension. These results are important as they can help health professionals to understand predictors of risk in this immigrant population. These results provided a starting point for understanding the role of acculturation in dietary intake pattern and how these factors affected risk for illness in this population. Future studies must focus on methods of intervention that consider level of acculturation and dietary pattern in reducing risk for heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

No description available.

No description available.

This creative project concerned the planning of an underwater park off the western coast of Negril, Jamaica. Negril is the westernmost point in Jamaica. Negril was traditionally a small fishing village before the development of tourism in the late 1960's. The rapid growth of tourism and haphazard development that followed has had detrimental effects on the marine environment and local community. Much of the local economy still depends on fishing for its subsistence. The underwater park is an attempt to preserve and protect the reefs and linked habitats in Negril.Protecting the reef will ultimately benefit the local fishing economy. The reef, with its warm, shallow waters is a breeding ground for fish. The fish rely on natural protection in the reef until they are large enough to move out into open waters. The park will prohibit collecting of any fish or plant species within the park area or any other activity with negative impacts to the reef ecology.The intent of the study was to locate and identify the underwater interpretive resources (coral communities), closely linked marine habitats and to recommend park boundaries and designate levels of use and protection. Further intent was to identify current and potential impacts, determine the proper status for the park, outline management objectives, regulations, and specify management plans for the park.The Negril Underwater Park will exist for the purpose of encouraging maximum compatible development of the coral reef system, as a visitor attraction and recreation area, while preserving the resources from degradation through a program of controlled use. The park is also intended to protect habitats linked to the coral reef especially the Great Negril Morass, Sea-grass, beach, and Mangrove areas. / Department of Landscape Architecture

This ethnography explores the practice of sex tourism in Negril, Jamaica, and its sociocultural, economic, and health impacts on the popular tourist destination. Transactional sex with female tourists has become a popular income generator for some young Caribbean males who are excluded from formal employment in the region's leading industry. Like other resort locales, Negril draws both men and women from various parts of the country who choose to engage in sex work in order to benefit from the tourist dollars spent in Jamaica's third most popular resort area. Through the analysis of observations, interviews with residents, tourists, government officials, and health practitioners, as well as life histories of men involved in sex tourism, this study seeks to contribute to current literature on the practice and reveal its impact on the people of this particular locale. Additionally, relevant health data is utilized to examine the connection between sexual health and sex tourism locally, and to offer recommendations for effectively targeting male sex workers through risk reduction programs. This research takes a political economy perspective and applies relevant theoretical contributions from the anthropology of tourism, Caribbean gender theory, and gender performativity.

The Caribbean, which is one of the most tourism-dependent regions of the world, is rich in cultural heritage, but it lacks developed and attractive cultural heritage sites. In particular, this is true for attractions that make use of the “dark” cultural heritage of the region which is associated with the Transatlantic Trade in Africans as slaves. This lack is seen as a major weakness in the region’s tourism product. This research explores the development of “dark” cultural heritage resources as attractions in the town of Falmouth, Jamaica, an 18th century port town that had a thriving economy during the peak period of British colonialism and the trade in Africans as slaves. Today, the economic importance of Falmouth is only a shadow of what it was during the infamous “glorious” days when sugarcane was “king and money in abundance” and Jamaica a leading sugar exporting colony was seen as a “jewel” in the English crown. A concurrent mixed method approach was used in the study where both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources were collected and analysed. The methods that were used for data collection include questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews, historical research and townscape survey. A systematic sampling technique was used to randomly select 100 households for a face-to-face questionnaire survey which achieved a 94% response rate. On the other hand, the purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to select twelve stakeholders for in-depth semi-structured interviews to ascertain their expectations and perspectives about the cultural heritage of the town. The textual data generated from the interviews were studied using content analysis, where substantive statements were identified from individual transcripts. Also, most appropriately, historical research was conducted to collect and evaluate historical information, such as written testimonies of eyewitnesses to events and also written accounts by person not immediately present at the time, but who obtained their description of events from someone else. In addition, a townscape survey was carried out to map, collect and evaluate data on a number of cultural heritage resources in Falmouth. It involved detailed field observation and the recording of the quality of townscape elements that are evaluated based on established criteria. Overall, the residents strongly supported tourism and argued for its development and expansion in Falmouth. They believed that the environmental, economic and socio-cultural benefits from tourism outweighed the negative implications of which they are fully aware. The data collection methods unearthed and confirmed that there is an abundance of dark cultural heritage in Falmouth that is associated with the Transatlantic Trade in Africans as slaves. Both tangible and intangible, highly rated cultural heritage resources were identified mainly in the Historic District. In all, twenty-seven cultural heritage resources and features that have the potential to be developed as attractions in support of a dark cultural heritage theme were identified, evaluated and catalogued. The major constraints to heritage development that were cited include: financial, psychological, absentee land owners, heritage designation’s restrictions, lack of consensus on developmental issues and some negative social perceptions. Residents and stakeholders suggested the following strategies to engage locals: sensitizing them to heritage development; providing them with information about opportunities as a result of the development; giving them practical information on ways to improve structures and restore buildings; providing them with information and education to build awareness about the cultural heritage of the town; and a public education campaign. Also, residents are amenable to: tour guiding, bed and breakfast operators, visitors’ service employees and involvement in planning conservation efforts. Residents attached a very high positive value to the cultural heritage resources of Falmouth even though they are aware that a lot of it is associated with the Transatlantic Trade. Such dark cultural heritage is deemed a significant part of the town’s heritage, so it is appropriate to use it for developing attractions for future generations where visitors can learn and be educated about the impact of the Transatlantic Trade. This position that the town should be developed as a destination where visitors can learn about slavery was supported by approximately 94% of the respondents to the questionnaire survey. Thus, the residents of Falmouth are motivated to tell the true story of the place. They unanimously are of the opinion that action should be taken to: promote Falmouth as a tourist destination, clean up and beautify Falmouth and provide job training for residents. Additional agreed and suggested actions include: infrastructure development; the development of educational awareness programmes; the development of heritage resources and related infrastructure; providing loans; grants and subsidies to building owners, building citizens’ awareness of cultural heritage and heritage programs; the provision of more entertainment facilities and activities; the development of Falmouth and addressing the cultural heritage of the town; A Master Plan is needed with a systematic way for its implementation along with the requisite funding; the implementation of a legislative framework to protect the town’s cultural heritage; the building of consensus among stakeholders; establishing a framework for the funding of restoration; engaging local and international organizations such as the JNHT and UNESCO; the sharing of plans at town-hall meetings; convene a meeting of all training agencies; and the development and implementation of a master plan. This research explored the development of Falmouth that has a “dark” and contested heritage, for sightseeing, learning and as an exemplary place for authentic experiences of identity for the African Diaspora. It will indeed help in the process to diversify Jamaica’s tourism product, contributes to the development of awareness and understanding of heritage at sensitive sites that are linked to humankind’s suffering and mass death. Finally, the study complements the UNESCO’s Slave Route Project that seeks to put an end to the historical silence on the African slave trade and slavery in general. The research concluded with a proposed planning framework for developing and promoting dark cultural heritage attractions.

Thesis (Ph.D. Political Science and Public Policy)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Title from PDF cover (viewed March 3, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 383-413)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-186). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Photocopy. Supervisor: Helena Woodard. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (P. 156-160).

Thesis (D.Min.)--South Florida Center for Theological Studies, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.