Mind the differences. An Assessment of Available Data Sources To Study Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean

Because of several policy distortions, including import‐substitution industrialization, widespread government intervention, and both domestic and international competitive barriers, there has been a general presumption that Latin America has been much less productive than the leading economies in the last decades. In this paper we show, however, that until the late 1970s Latin American countries had high productivity levels relative to the United States. It is only after the late 1970s that we observe a fast decrease of relative total factor productivity (TFP) in Latin America. We also show that the inclusion of human capital in the production function makes a crucial difference in the TFP calculations for Latin America. (JEL O11, O47, O54)

Inequalities in contraceptive use in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Recent Trends in Income Inequality in Latin America Leonardo Gasparini (bio), Guillermo Cruces (bio), and Leopoldo Tornarolli (bio) Any assessment of the Latin American economies would be incomplete without reference to their high levels of socioeconomic inequalities. All countries in the region are characterized by large disparities of income and consumption levels, access to education, land, and basic services, and other socioeconomic variables. Inequality is a distinctive, pervasive characteristic of the region. This document presents information updated through the mid-2000s and analyzes patterns and trends of income inequality in Latin America. The measurement and analysis of inequality have long been a major topic of study for economics and other social sciences in the region. However, the scarcity of reliable and consistent microeconomic data has always been an obstacle against comprehensive assessments. Most studies are based on limited sources or are constrained to cover a single country. The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) have all made efforts to assemble large databases of national household surveys to support wider [End Page 147] assessments of inequality, poverty, and other socioeconomic variables. This study is mostly based on data from the Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean (SEDLAC), a project developed jointly by the Center for Distributive, Labor, and Social Studies (CEDLAS) and the World Bank. This database contains information on more than 200 official household surveys in twenty-five Latin American and Caribbean countries. This paper uses data for the period from 1992 to 2006. We confirm that income inequality increased in the 1990s as documented in the literature, but we also find that inequality decreased in the 2000s, suggesting a turning point from the unequalizing changes of the previous two decades. While the recent fall in income inequality is significant and widespread, it does not seem to be based on strong fundamentals. The rest of this paper is organized as follows. The discussion opens with a description of the data sources and their limitations. The subsequent section represents the core of the paper, as it documents the main patterns of income inequality in Latin America, at both the country and regional levels. The paper then takes a look inside household income, discussing inequality patterns for the distribution of individual labor and nonlabor income. We also place the Latin American evidence in international perspective, using various data sources. The final section presents our concluding remarks. The Data The main source of data for this paper is the Socioeconomic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean (SEDLAC), developed jointly by CEDLAS at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina) and the World Bank's Latin American and Caribbean Poverty and Gender Group. This database contains information on more than 200 official household surveys in twenty-five Latin American and Caribbean countries: the seventeen countries in continental Latin America (namely, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela) plus eight countries in the Caribbean (the Dominican Republic and seven non-Hispanic Caribbean countries). The sample represents 97 percent of the total Latin American and Caribbean population, including 100 percent in continental Latin America and 55 percent in the Caribbean. The main missing country is Cuba, which does not disclosure household survey information. Our analysis starts in the early 1990s, [End Page 148] when most countries in Latin America consolidated their household survey programs, and ends in 2006. Table 1 lists the surveys used in this study, covering the eighteen Latin American countries in the CEDLAS database. Household surveys in most countries are nationally representative, with the exception of Argentina and Uruguay (before 2006), where surveys cover only the urban population. This nonetheless represents 88 percent and 92 percent of the total population in these countries, respectively. In these two cases, we use the urban figures as proxies for the national statistics.1 Most countries experienced changes in their household surveys in the 1990s and 2000s. In many cases the geographical coverage was broadened, monthly surveys were replaced by annual ones, and the questionnaires were improved. Although these changes are certainly welcome, they pose significant...

THE COLLAPSE OF SOCIALIST REGIMES in Eastern Europe and Eurasia resulted in the polarisation of politics.' In East Central European and Baltic countries (henceforth, Western post-communist countries2) political parties began to play an important role already in the early stage of transition. In these countries unitary constitutional regimes and free market economies are predominant. In contrast, in the politics of CIS countries informal clan relations are prevalent. It is true that since the end of the 1990s we have seen several examples of successful party building even in the CIS. However, these successful parties, such as Unified Russia and the United Social Democratic Party of Ukraine, have been merely an official facade of clan relations.3 In contrast to the unitary state building in the Western post-communist countries, in CIS countries national-subnational political relations have been extremely deconcentrated, although the constitutions of most of these countries, except for Russia, declare that they have chosen a unitary path of state building. In these countries a patrimonial capitalism, advantageous not only to domestic enterprises but also to the population in general, took shape. The purpose of this article is to examine the Belarusian political regime under President Aleksandr Lukashenka as a populist one, which is uncommon for a CIS country. In order to understand this peculiarity, it is insufficient to compare Belarusian politics with the politics of other CIS countries. It can only be understood in the context of polarisation of post-communist political and economic regimes. Table 1 lists nine criteria distinguishing the two types of post-communist regime. Criterion 1: constitutional definition. While Western post-communist countries adopted either parliamentary or, at best, weak presidential systems, superpresidentialism has become the norm for CIS countries, with the exception of Moldova. These superpresidencies are the successors of the former central committees of communist parties and are functioning as a guarantee for personalised distribution of resources and assets. It is true that most CIS countries adopted semi-presidential, not pure presidential, systems. Under semi-presidential systems the president appoints the

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a rapidly growing neurodegenerative disorder, but up-to-date epidemiological data are lacking in Latin America. We sought to estimate the prevalence and incidence of PD and parkinsonism in Latin America. We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Scientific Electronic Library Online, and Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde or the Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature databases for epidemiological studies reporting the prevalence or incidence of PD or parkinsonism in Latin America from their inception to 2022. Quality of studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. Data were pooled via random-effects meta-analysis and analyzed by data source (cohort studies or administrative databases), sex, and age group. Significant differences between groups were determined by meta-regression. Eighteen studies from 13 Latin American countries were included in the review. Meta-analyses of 17 studies (nearly 4 million participants) found a prevalence of 472 (95% CI, 271-820) per 100,000 and three studies an incidence of 31 (95% CI, 23-40) per 100,000 person-years for PD; and seven studies found a prevalence of 4300 (95% CI, 1863-9613) per 100,000 for parkinsonism. The prevalence of PD differed by data source (cohort studies, 733 [95% CI, 427-1255] vs. administrative databases. 114 [95% CI, 63-209] per 100,000, P < 0.01), age group (P < 0.01), but not sex (P = 0.73). PD prevalence in ≥60 years also differed significantly by data source (cohort studies. 1229 [95% CI, 741-2032] vs. administrative databases, 593 [95% CI, 480-733] per 100,000, P < 0.01). Similar patterns were observed for parkinsonism. The overall prevalence and incidence of PD in Latin America were estimated. PD prevalence differed significantly by the data source and age, but not sex. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

To determine the prevalence and causes of vision loss and calculate the effective cataract surgery coverage (eCSC) in adults aged 60 years and older in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Vision Atlas and the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness databases were used as data source. The collected data were used to estimate the prevalence and causes of vision loss in people aged 60 years and older, and to determine the eCSC. The overall prevalence of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI) and blindness in Latin America and the Caribbean were 14.14% and 2.94%, respectively. Tropical Latin America was the subregion with the highest prevalence of blindness (3.89%) while Southern Latin America had the lowest (0.96%). For both MSVI and blindness, cataract was the main cause of vision loss. The eCSC rates showed great variation, ranging from 4.0% in Guatemala to 75.2% in Suriname. The prevalence of vision loss in adults aged 60 years and older in Latin America and the Caribbean was higher than previous estimates on younger groups. Cataract was the main cause of blindness, and the eCSC indicates that the outcomes from cataract surgery should be improved. Specific actions associated with improving access, integrating eye assessment with primary care programs, expanding the use of telemedicine, and improving data quality should be taken by public health authorities aiming to address vision loss in this group.

Data sources Medline, Popline, ExtraMed, Embase and Info Latino Americo were searched for the period 1 January 1970–31 December 2000. Keywords used were “dental caries” and names of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Reference lists from retrieved articles were also examined for more studies. Study selection For inclusion an article had to have clearly-defined ages within the groups (5–6, 11–13 years); use the World Health Organization caries diagnostic criteria; the sample had to be reasonably representative of the general population and contain at least 30 individuals; and examiners had to be calibrated. Data extraction and synthesis For each of the two age-groupings, the caries prevalence and caries severity data were plotted against the year of study. A nonlinear regression curve was fitted to each group of results, and a linear regression analysis was done to look for a significant departure from zero of the caries-rate trend with statistical significance set at P<0.05. This was done separately for the 21 countries in Latin America and 12 countries in the Caribbean. Results The search identified 438 articles: 172 were epidemiological studies, of which 30 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A total of 16 countries were represented. Over the last 30 years, there has been a significant decrease in caries prevalence for 11–13-year-old children in Latin America. There was also a significant decrease in caries severity for 5–6-year-olds in Latin America, and for 11–13-year-olds in Latin America and the Caribbean. Conclusions This study showed some statistically significant downward trends in dental caries between 1970 and 2000 in 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Throughout the history of humankind, people have migrated from one location to another. For many decades, one of the most heavily traveled migratory routes in the world has been the one from Latin America north toward the United States (US). Millions of people from Mexico, the Northern Triangle region of Central America, and other parts of Latin America have traveled north in search of economic opportunity, to reunify with family members, to seek refuge from violence, insecurity, and persecution, or for various other reasons. However, in recent times, particularly during the last decade, the demographic profile of migrants moving through Latin America toward the US has significantly changed and diversified. A growing number of migrants originating from countries in Africa have traveled to Latin America seeking to transit northward to the US. Despite the recent growing number of arrivals in Latin America, as well as the fact that Africans are among the fastest-growing groups of US immigrants, African migrants’ transit through Latin America has received scant attention and remains poorly understood. What are the recent trends and factors helping to drive this phenomenon? Moreover, what are some of the experiences and general challenges faced by African migrants undertaking the journey? Guided by a comprehensive review of the literature and an examination of materials collected from an assortment of sources, public open access databases, and various secondary data sources, the present paper examines African migration through Latin America to the US. Significantly, the present paper contributes to the relatively small body of work focused on this topic, helping to increase awareness of the geopolitics of the phenomenon and providing a better understanding of the movement of African extracontinental migrants. In particular, it explores the diverse set of factors underlying African migration in the region, and offers insight into the array of challenges they face on their long journey through Latin America. Possible scenarios for the near future and a number of potential areas for further study are also discussed.

Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common diagnosis in children. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most prevalent agent worldwide, followed by Haemophilus influenzae. However, the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines has changed the microbiology of AOM. To establish the prevalence of pneumococcal serotypes and other common germs in Latin American children with AOM. We carried out a systematic search for original articles in seven databases, limited to publications between 1999 and 2010, children under 18, and English and Spanish languages. Search was completed with "snowball" strategy. Eligibility criteria included original prevalence cross-sectional articles, conducted in pediatric populations in Latin America, with homogeneous inclusion and exclusion criteria. Relevant information was extracted from the selected articles. Eleven articles met the eligibility criteria. In Latin America, specifically Costa Rica, Chile, Brazil and Argentina, Streptococcus pneumoniae (43.5%) was the most frequent germ, (serotype 19F is the most frequent, except in Argentina where it is 14) followed by Haemophilus influenzae (30%) and Moraxella catarrhalis (6.4%). The more prevalent germ in Latin American children AOM is Streptococcus pneumoniae, a finding consistent with those from Europe and the U.S. Further studies are required in the other countries of the region and its pediatric pneumococcal vaccinated population, in order to establish an updated epidemiological and microbiological profile in Latin America.

Because Mexico–U.S. migration represents the largest sustained migratory flow between two nations worldwide, much of the theoretical and empirical work on migration in the Americas has focused on this single case. Yet in the past few decades, migration has emerged as a critical issue across all nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Indeed, over the past fifteen years, this region has changed its historical position from a net migrant-receiving region to one of the leading sending areas of the world. In this volume, we offer the first systematic assessment of Latin American migration patterns using ongoing research on the Mexican case as a basis for comparison. We include work by leading scholars of migration who draw on a common source of comparable data. Our specific purpose is to determine whether and how Mexican migration is similar to or different from migration in other countries of the hemisphere. The analyses are comparative and based on data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP) and the Latin American Migration Project (LAMP), which together offer the most comprehensive and reliable source of data on migration from Latin America and the Caribbean. Each chapter examines specific propositions or findings derived from the Mexican case that have not yet been tested for other Latin American or Caribbean nations. Work from Mexico has now produced a fairly conventional account of migration and settlement in the United States, but we know very little about how Mexican patterns generalize to other migratory flows in the region. A major shortcoming of prior research is its overreliance on data from just one country. To the extent that other countries have been studied, most of the research to date has been conducted on a case-by-case basis rather than comparatively. As a result, conclusions about migration trends and patterns in Latin America are derived from a diverse array of studies that make use of divergent data, methods, and theoretical models. In this volume, we seek to remedy this lack of coherence by systematically comparing Mexico to other source countries in the Americas using a common framework of data, methods, and theories. In doing so, we hope to situate findings about Mexico–U.S. migration in the larger context of migration in the Americas and to discover how country-specific characteristics affect patterns and processes of emigration. Such a comparative approach to the study of migration represents a unique and innovative contribution to scholarship on international migration—a topic of considerable interest in the twenty-first century. The chapters derive from papers originally presented at a conference held at Vanderbilt University in May 2008. With support from Vanderbilt’s Center for the Americas, the conference brought together an interdisciplinary set of scholars from universities throughout the Americas who were instructed to base their analyses, at least in part, on data collected by the MMP and the LAMP in 118 Mexican communities and 35 communities from eight other nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, including Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Peru, Paraguay, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. In their comparative breadth, the resulting chapters offer a new perspective on the causes and consequences of migration in the Western Hemisphere. In this introduction, we underscore some of the salient challenges and rewards of doing comparative work on migration. We begin by describing the structure and organization of the MMP and LAMP, highlighting their origins, developments, and strategies of data collection. These projects, and the important gaps in data they were designed to overcome, explain why research done to date has generally not been comparative and why it has failed to discern which causes and consequences of migration are unique to Mexico and which apply as well to other countries and regions. We conclude by looking to the future to consider how truly comparative investigations might better inform research on migration in the Americas.

The similar morphology of species in the genus Oreobates that inhabit rocky outcrops amidst the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests and Cerrado savannas of central South America has led to taxonomic inaccuracies when only external morphology was considered. Therefore, researchers frequently fail to determine the true taxonomic status of some of these populations and thus attribute them to unidentified or misidentified species. Integrating different sources of data is of fundamental importance to understand the diversity of species in this group. Herein, we used external morphology (16 characters measured in 54 adult specimens), bioacoustics (238 advertisement calls of 19 specimens of Oreobates from six localities), and molecular evidence (based on 58 16S gene fragments representing 24 of the currently available names of Oreobates) to evaluate the taxonomic status and distribution range of Oreobates from 10 localities in central South America. We performed phylogenetic analysis, principal component analysis, and discriminant function analysis to evaluate the taxonomic status of Oreobates in central South America. We redescribe Oreobates heterodactylus based on a newly collected series of topotypes and additional material from other localities. We reassess the taxonomic status of Oreobates crepitans, herein considered as a junior synonym of O. heterodactylus. We also describe eastern Bolivian populations of Oreobates as a new species.

Neighborhood disorder is an important aspect that may influence the health of residents in urban areas. The aims of this study were to map and systematize methods for measuring physical and social neighborhood disorder in studies conducted in Latin American cities. By means of a scoping review, articles published from 2000 in English, Spanish, and Portuguese with the following descriptors were mapped: neighborhood, physical disorder, and social disorder. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), LILACS (Virtual Health Library), Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Information on authorship, year, study type, locality, data source, target population, outcome, dominion, indicator, method, geographic unit, and unit of analysis was extracted. Variables from the disorder-related studies were extracted and grouped by similarity of content and themes. A total of 22 articles were identified, all published between 2012 and 2022, the majority in Brazil (n = 16). The perception of the individual was the most used method. The most frequent theme addressed in the physical disorder dominion was public streets (n = 20) and security (n = 15), in the social disorder dominion. A lack of consensus in the literature regarding variables used to measure physical and social neighborhood disorder in Latin American cities was detected. In addition to the need for standardization of the theme, studies to verify the sustainability of proposed measurement methods relevant to dynamically classify and compare urban neighborhoods and health impacts based on levels of exposure to physical and social disorder, are recommended.

Context: Migration and addressing the medical needs of migrants is a complex issue in the field of international health that requires an integrated, evidence-based, and human rights-focused response. The aim of this article is to investigate migration in Latin America and its implications for health and the evaluation of infectious diseases. Objectives: The scope of this systematic review is to explore the health implications of migration in Latin America regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other infections. Data Sources: Keyword combinations were searched through the PubMed/MEDLINE database as of February 26, 2023. Study Selection: The selection of publications was performed in a two-step process and followed the inclusion/exclusion criteria of the study. Data Extraction: The validity and authenticity of this study were optimized by adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Results: Out of 102 initial articles, only 8 articles met the eligibility criteria. In total, 1,904,387 people were included in this systematic study, and the average age across all studies was 31.10 years. The main countries of origin were Mexico (n = 3) and El Salvador (n = 3). Chile (n = 2), Mexico (n = 2), Peru (n = 2), and the USA (n = 2) were the most frequent destinations. Human immunodeficiency virus infection, mental health issues, tuberculosis (TB), and diabetes mellitus (DM) were the main surveyed diseases, with the highest prevalence among migrants from Brazil, Peru, and Tapachula. In general, economic, social, and health system crises were among the reasons for migration identified in this study. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the need for more attention and prioritization of resources to improve the health outcomes of migrants in Latin America, particularly concerning infectious diseases like HIV. The findings also underscore the importance of addressing the underlying social and economic factors that drive migration in the region. Further research is required to investigate the health implications of migration in this region and to identify effective strategies to mitigate these challenges.

Economia 3.2 (2003) 161-218 [Access article in PDF] The Distributive Impact of Privatization in Latin America: Evidence from Four Countries David McKenzie Dilip Mookherjee [Comments] [References] [Figures] [Tables] The supposed failure of privatization in Latin America has recently become the source of street riots, protest demonstrations, and adverse news coverage. Riots in Arequipa, Peru, erupted in June 2002 following the announcement of a proposal to privatize power plants, while Cochabamba, Bolivia, witnessed a so-called water war in April 2000. Antiprivatization protests also occurred recently in Ecuador and Paraguay, while water privatizations in Lima and Rio de Janeiro had to be cancelled owing to popular opposition. 1 Street protests by antiglobalization activists have included privatization as a prime target, on the grounds that national values should not be overtaken by the profit calculus of global capitalism. News articles highlight popular objections to private enterprise making a profit on basic services such as water, the failure of water privatization in [End Page 161] Bolivia, and problems with quality, price increases, and large-scale employee layoffs. 2 In response to popular opposition, the National Assembly in Nicaragua passed a law forbidding the privatization of any enterprise related to the provision of water services (a law later vetoed by the country's president). These adverse opinions are not restricted to a handful of protesters. Latinobarometer opinion polls for 2000 show that a clear majority disapprove of the privatization process, a pattern that is uniform across countries, age, gender, and socioeconomic class. The opinions appear to be becoming increasingly adverse over time, with disapproval ratings higher in 2001 than in 2000, and higher in 2000 than in 1998 (see table A1 in appendix A). 3 Yet the evaluation of privatizations by economists generally tends to be favorable. 4 The criteria for evaluation typically include profitability, labor productivity, firm growth, and market valuation. Part of the discrepancy may arise from the fact that most of the empirical studies pertain to transition countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, while the public disaffection seems pronounced in Latin America. A large part, however, stems from the difference in criteria used in evaluation. Increases in profitability and efficiency can come at the expense of customers, workers, and other social groups as a result of increased prices, lower levels of employment, longer work hours, worsening service conditions, and neglect of environmental effects. 5 A more comprehensive welfare evaluation of privatization clearly must incorporate the effects on consumers and workers in addition to firm profitability. Particular attention needs to be devoted to effects on inequality and poverty, which underlie perceptions of unfairness among critics of privatization and which may have functional effects on economic efficiency in the long run via effects on human capital investment, entrepreneurship, crime, and governance. 6 [End Page 162] This paper provides an overview of the results of a project that evaluates the distributive impact of privatization in four Latin American countries. The aim of the project was to estimate the effects of privatization on customers and workers, based on existing household and employment surveys. Four countries of varying size and per capita income were chosen for the study: two large, middle-income countries (Argentina and Mexico) and two small, poor countries (Bolivia and Nicaragua). This paper provides an overview of the methodology and results of the individual country papers, which contain further details concerning the privatization process and data sources used for each specific country. 7 All four countries have undergone significant privatization since the late 1980s, and they have similar data sources that permit the application of a common methodology. The Nicaraguan case, however, was qualitatively different from the other three countries, in that large parts of the economy (including agriculture) were privatized as part of the transition from a socialist economy, while utilities that remained in the state sector throughout the 1990s were exposed to greater liberalization. The most significant component of the project focused on privatized utilities (primarily electricity, telecommunications, water, and gas), and it estimates the effects of changes in price and access on the welfare of...

Background: Achieving universal access to palliative care is considered a global and equity priority. Understanding patients and caregivers’ attitudes and preferences towards palliative and end-of-life care in Latin America is essential to develop person-centred services in the region. Aim: To synthesize and appraise the evidence about patients with advanced illness and their caregivers’ attitudes and preferences towards palliative and end-of-life care in Latin America. Design: Mixed studies systematic review with sequential exploratory synthesis (thematic and narrative synthesis). Quality was assessed using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Data sources: MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, Lilacs, Web of Science, Scielo and Scopus to March 2021. Empirical studies examining patient or caregiver attitudes and/or preferences towards palliative and end-of-life care were included. Results: Of 3575 records screened, 45 articles were included, comprising 7 countries and a total of 1220 patients and 965 caregivers (26.8% non-cancer-related participants). Data were organized around seven themes: Symptom management and nutrition; End-of-life medical decisions; Communication patterns; Place of end-of-life care and death; God and religious community as source of hope and support; Caregiver’s role; and Mixed understandings of palliative care. Main findings include; conflicted views around palliative care and pain relief; patients’ preference to be informed about their condition contrasting with caregivers’ reluctance to discuss this with patients; common preference for shared decision-making; and overburdened caregivers lacking professional home-care support. Methodological flaws were found in general. Conclusion: Core themes provide context-specific evidence to inform the design of culturally sensitive palliative and end-of-life care services, models and public policies in Latin America.