Latin America And The Caribbean Region Research Articles

The Dragon's Overwatch: Chinese Private Security Expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean

This scholarly disquisition furnishes a comprehensive exploration of the burgeoning presence of Chinese private security companies (PSCs) across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), delving into the strategic repercussions for regional security architectures and national sovereignty imperatives. Employing a meticulous qualitative methodology encompassing a thorough literature review, policy document analysis, and an examination of Chinese-language sources, the research elucidates the salient drivers catalyzing this phenomenon. These precipitating factors span cultural affinities, economic motivations, geopolitical ambitions, and the exigent security challenges besetting Chinese commercial entities operating within the LAC region. The operational modes of Chinese PSCs are subjected to forensic scrutiny, illuminating their diverse service offerings, geographical permeation across the region, and the obstacles they confront. Furthermore, the inquiry contextualizes the issue within the broader geopolitical milieu, accentuating concerns regarding transparency lacunae, regulatory deficiencies, and potential avenues for Chinese intelligence and military machinations, thereby potentially destabilizing the regional equilibrium. Ultimately, the research culminates in a series of substantive policy prescriptions aimed at mitigating risks, fortifying regional stability, and safeguarding national sovereignty through capacity-building initiatives, constructive engagement with Beijing, enhanced transparency mechanisms, and robust regional cooperation frameworks.

Hierarchy and mobility of Latin America and Caribbean container ports

Research on port hierarchies within a maritime region is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of seaborne trade and the broader trends within the maritime sector and related supply chains. This study investigates the evolution of the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) container ports and regional sub-systems from 2000 to 2022, analyzing traffic dynamics, shifts in port throughput rankings, and market concentration trends in and among the different coastal regions. Conceptually, this analysis benefits from the notion of evolutionary phases, revealing the stages of a port system's development. Methodologically, 49 LAC ports of international interest are categorized into different coastal regions and tiers based on throughput sizes. Various metrics, including the Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), and Kendall Tau (τ), assess port hierarchy and related mobility since 2000. The observed shifts in the hierarchy and market structures, coupled with the fluctuating positions of critical ports, underscore the transition that LAC container ports dynamics experienced in the 21st century. Following a particularly dynamic and volatile evolution observed in the 2000s, the financial crisis of 2008/09 was a critical juncture leading to the transition of the LAC port dynamics from the ‘emerging’ to the ‘maturity’ phase. On the contrary, the pandemic (2019) has not affected the pre-existing hierarchy or the moderate market concentration that was already in progress. The LAC region comprises port sub-systems (coastal ranges) subjected to different tendencies towards (de)concentration, yet mobility in port rankings within each sub-system decreases. The study also reveals the coexistence of this transition with a structural transformation of port governance structures, i.e., granting of concessions of operations to third parties. In 20 of these ports and the above-average mobility of ports are operated by Global Terminal Operators (GTOs), and calls for further research on the (non) causality of these phenomena.

Confronting the challenge: a regional perspective by the Latin American pediatric infectious diseases society (SLIPE) expert group on respiratory syncytial virus-tackling the burden of disease and implementing preventive solutions.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children around the world. The post-pandemic era has resulted in a notable increase in reported cases of RSV infections, co-circulation of other respiratory viruses, shifts in epidemiology, altered respiratory season timing, and increased healthcare demand. Low- and middle-income countries are responsible for the highest burden of RSV disease, contributing significantly to health expenses during respiratory seasons and RSV-associated mortality in children. Until recently, supportive measures were the only intervention to treat or prevent RSV-infection, since preventive strategies like palivizumab are limited for high-risk populations. Advances in new available strategies, such as long-acting monoclonal antibodies during the neonatal period and vaccination of pregnant women, are now a reality. As the Regional Expert Group of the Latin American Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (SLIPE), we sought to evaluate the burden of RSV infection in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, analyze current strategies to prevent RSV infection in children, and provide recommendations for implementing new strategies for preventing RSV infection in children in LAC region.

Economic burden of respiratory syncytial virus disease in Latin America: A systematic review

ABSTRACT This Systematic Review assesses the economic impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in relation to healthcare resource utilization and associated costs. We searched online databases from January 2012 to November 2022 to identify eligible publications. We identified 12 publications that reported direct costs, indirect costs, and resources associated with RSV and its complications. The primary direct medical resources reported were medical services, diagnostics tests and procedures, and length of stay (LOS). Direct total costs per patient ranged widely from $563 to $19,076. Direct costs are, on average, 98% higher than indirect costs. Brazil reported a higher total cost per patient than Colombia, El Salvador, México, Panamá, and Puerto Rico, while for indirect costs per patient, El Salvador and Panamá had higher costs than Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The mean LOS in the general ward due to RSV was 6.9 days (range 4 to 20 days) and the mean Intensive Care Unit LOS was 9.1 days (range 4 to 16 days). In many countries of the LAC region, RSV represents a considerable economic burden on health systems, but significant evidence gaps were identified in the region. More rigorous health economic studies are essential to better understand this burden and to promote effective healthcare through an informed decision-making process. Vaccination against RSV plays a critical role in mitigating this burden and should be a priority in public health strategies.

Particularities of demographic development of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

The article examines the causes and consequences of the trend towards a slowing population growth rate in the LAC region due to the impact of a number of socio-economic problems, the phenomenon of migration, as well as the growing significance of the "feminist factor". The author concludes that the future decline in the size of the Latin American community may have a constraining effect on the full realization of its potential.

Epilepsy Care in Latin America and the Caribbean: Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities.

The burden of epilepsy in the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region causes a profound regional impact on the health care system and significantly contributes to the global epilepsy burden. As in many other resource-limited settings worldwide, health care professionals and patients with epilepsy in LAC countries face profound challenges due to a combination of factors, including high disease prevalence, stigmatization of epilepsy, disparities in access to care, limited resources, substantial treatment gaps, insufficient training opportunities for health care providers, and a diverse patient population with varying needs. This article presents an overview of the epidemiology of epilepsy and discusses the principal obstacles to epilepsy care and key contributors to the epilepsy diagnosis and treatment gap in the LAC region. We conclude by highlighting various initiatives across different LAC countries to improve epilepsy care in marginalized communities, listing strategies to mitigate treatment gaps and facilitate better health care access for patients with epilepsy by enhancing the epilepsy workforce.

China’s Digital Silk Road: Challenges and Opportunities for Latin America and the Caribbean

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a Beijing-led format for international cooperation through the building of land and sea corridors connecting China with other countries and regions. One of its pillars is the Digital Silk Road (DSR), which aims to reduce the digital divide and improve the digital connectivity of the participating countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the DSR’s activation, which makes it urgent to study its practical implementation in different regions. The aim of this article is to analyze the conceptual foundations of the DSR and its implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The study relies on the technology leadership theory, which allows considering the DSR as an alternative format of cooperation used by China to reform digital international relations. Since it challenges the technological dominance of the West, especially the United States, the power transition theory is also of heuristic value. The methodological basis of the research covers a wide range of general scientific methods of political analysis. The primary sources of empirical analysis are government documents, papers of think tanks, international organizations and forums, statistical data, interactive maps, speeches by officials, etc. In the course of the study, the following objectives are achieved: to trace the evolution of the DSR concept in the official policy discourse; to systematize scientific works on the issue; to highlight key elements of the initiative; to identify opportunities and limitations for its implementation in the LAC region; to present the US response to the intensification of Sino-LAC digital cooperation. It is concluded that the DSR plays an important role in achieving the strategic objective of transforming China into a technological superpower. Therefore, it is highly likely to become a backbone of cooperation under the BRI.

Sensitivity Analysis of Start Point of Extreme Daily Rainfall Using CRHUDA and Stochastic Models

Forecasting extreme precipitation is one of the basic actions of warning systems in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). With thousands of economic losses and severe damage caused by floods in urban areas, hydrometeorological monitoring is a priority in most countries in the LAC region. The monitoring of convective precipitation, cold fronts, and hurricane tracks are the most demanded technological developments for early warning systems in the region. However, predicting and forecasting the onset time of extreme precipitation is a subject of life-saving scientific research. Developed in 2019, the CRHUDA (Crossing HUmidity, Dew point, and Atmospheric pressure) model provides insight into the onset of precipitation from the Clausius–Clapeyron relationship. With access to a historical database of more than 600 storms, the CRHUDA model provides a prediction with a precision of six to eight hours in advance of storm onset. However, the calibration is complex given the addition of ARMA(p,q)-type models for real-time forecasting. This paper presents the calibration of the joint CRHUDA+ARMA(p,q) model. It is concluded that CRHUDA is significantly more suitable and relevant for the forecast of precipitation and a possible future development for an early warning system (EWS).

European Union transregional cooperation with Latin America: perspectives, opportunities, constraints

The article focuses on modern development of the transregional cooperation between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The study is based on official documents, on the European think tanks’ studies, as well as the conceptual vision of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The research provides the main directions of short-term and medium-term transregional interaction between the EU and LAC. The authors consider the energy transition as one of the promising areas of transatlantic cooperation for the near future which can stimulate economic growth and production transformations in the LAC region. The article addresses the issue of building the strategic autonomy of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. The authors describe three scenarios of LAC’s development in terms of transregional cooperation with the EU. It is concluded that the European Union in the context of a changing world order is trying to make Latin America and the Caribbean economically and technologically dependent through the implementation of investment programs as part of the green agenda on the way to an accelerated global energy transition.

Educational innovation in supply chain management and logistics for active learning in Latin America

PurposeThis study aims to present a conceptual framework aimed at promoting educational innovation in supply chain management and logistics (SCM&L). The framework can help to design active learning experiences regarding student learning outcomes that tackle current challenges in the discipline. Emphasizing the significance of linking students’ learning to real-world scenarios, the framework enables reflective learning through hands-on engagement in a constructive alignment, overcoming existing pedagogical limitations in the field.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a qualitative research methodology that relies on the case study method. Three instances are presented to illustrate educational efforts of active learning in countries of Latin America, Bolivia, Mexico and Peru, linking real-world relevant situations to disciplinary teaching and learning.FindingsThe innovative learning experiences introduced in this study transform real-world SCM&L operations into distinctive educational opportunities. These experiences facilitate learning not only within traditional classrooms but also in urban areas of the Latin American region, enabling students to interact with educational partners in authentic settings to achieve their intended learning outcomes. These experiences are characterized by their focus on establishing meaningful connections between learning and local communities, businesses or specific contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThe study recognizes various limitations of conceptual, methodological, execution-related and research process aspects. First, not all academics in the SCM&L discipline may universally acknowledge the importance of educational innovation and active learning experiences because of limited pedagogical awareness. Moreover, execution-related limitations arise from the demanding nature of incorporating active pedagogical approaches into courses, as they can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. Regarding research process limitations, the case study limits generalizability and broader inferences because of its particular views and locations, which require further investigation with other instances across other disciplines and geographical regions for validation.Practical implicationsThe practical implementation of this framework within the MIT SCALE network for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) demonstrates its potential in meeting diverse academic and institutional expectations and providing educational benefits to students.Social implicationsThe study makes a valuable contribution to prioritizing and coordinating pedagogical research by investigating the success of learning outcomes achieved through active and experiential implementations in various contexts. It provides inspiring examples of innovative learning experiences that can drive new developments not only within the LAC region but also in other areas, prompting a shift away from traditional educational approaches.Originality/valueThis research presents a conceptual framework, which is developed from the insights obtained in the three learning experiences to guide future efforts in SCM&L education. The findings demonstrate how to structure active learning experiences based on authentic assessment and illustrate the potential for increased cooperation among institutions in Latin America. It also promotes the recognition of novel SCM&L active learning experiences and highlights some of the benefits of this approach.

Health Literacy Concepts, Themes, and Research Trends Globally and in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Bibliometric Review.

(1) Background: Health literacy (HL) debates have increased significantly in the last two decades. HL concepts/themes and models have achieved substantial development in the US and Europe. Although there have been some efforts to develop HL in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), these seem to be few and scattered. This paper reviews and discusses developments of HL concepts and themes globally and in LAC over the last two decades. (2) Purpose: This study aimed to identify the prevalent health literacy concepts/themes deployed globally and in LAC as reported in academic journals from 2005 to 2022. We looked into which fields of knowledge have been informing HL research over the last decades. (3) Methods: We conducted a structured search on the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, PubMed, and SciELO databases to extract the textual data for bibliometric analysis. We analyzed the textual data with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to better understand health literacy themes and strands currently being researched in the LAC region. We conducted the searches in two periods: the first in May 2023 and the second in October 2023. (4) Results: The bibliometric study highlighted five WoS categories informing most HL global studies: (i) public environmental occupational health; (ii) environmental sciences; (iii) health policy services; (iv) health care science services; and (v) communication. The two predominant categories in LAC are public environmental occupation health and health policy services. Journals hosting HL publications come from these WoS categories. Themes in HL publications can be organized into four thematic clusters: (i) analytical (research designs, analytic techniques, and criteria for examining HL data); (ii) psychometric (measurement properties of data collection tools); (iii) pragmatic (practical issues related to implementing HL programs); and (iv) well-being (effectiveness of HL programs on mental health and illness treatment). (5) Conclusions: There is expanding interest in health literacy among scholars. The number of publications has increased substantially, particularly over the last five years. These are dominated by the Global North. The metrics show that LAC and Africa are trailing in publications. There is an emerging focus on adult literacy, functional/low health literacy, and their effect on improving capabilities, comprehension, and communication regarding health-related topics.

Southern Canyons Pathways UNESCO Global Geoparks: Strategies for Sustainable Development

Objective: This article aims to understand the process of setting up the GMCCS and its prospects for the sustainable development of the communities living in the territory. The following research questions are posed: a) How did the prospecting of UGGps take place in the LAC region? b) How did the process of recognition and approval of the GMCCS take place? c) How has the GMCCS contributed to the sustainable socio-economic development of the towns that make up the territory? Method: In order to achieve the above objectives, the state-of-the-art methodology was used, together with bibliographic and documentary research, to understand the conception of the idea of geoparks in the international context and their dissemination around the world. Results and conclusion: As a result, it was found that the territories that have been recognized, including the GMCCS, have proved to be effective and sensitive tools for the socio-economic development of their respective communities, although the prospecting of geoparks in LAC is still happening slowly and gradually. Research implications: UGGps (UNESCO Global Geoparks) aim to promote the sustainable development of local communities. The GGN (Global Geoparks Network) currently has 177 accredited territories around the world, ten of which are in the LAC (Latin America and the Caribbean) region. The research shows that the territory of the UNESCO World Geopark Caminhos dos Cânions Sul is moving towards promoting sustainable development in its territory.

Burden of Other Musculoskeletal Disorders in Latin America and the Caribbean: Findings of Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

To describe the results from the Global Burden Disease (GBD) study 2019 on the burden of other musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from all LAC region in the GBD study from 1990 to 2019. Other MSK (other than rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, low back pain, and neck pain) burden was measured as prevalence, mortality, years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life (DALY), by year, sex, and country. We show the counts, rates, and 95% uncertainty intervals (95% UI). Joinpoint regression analysis was used to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) from 1990 to 2019. A correlational analysis between the burden parameters and sociodemographic index (SDI) was performed. In 2019, there were 52.0 million (95% UI, 44.8-60.1 million) individuals with other MSK disorders in LAC. The age-standardized mortality rate in 2019 was 1.2 (95% UI, 0.8-1.6) per 100,000 inhabitants. The AAPC was estimated as 0.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1-0.2) and 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1-0.3) for prevalence and mortality rates, respectively. The age-standardized DALY rate was 685.4 (95% UI, 483.6-483.6) per 100,000 inhabitants, representing an AAPC of 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1-0.3). The burden was larger in women and the elderly. The SDI was positively correlated with the prevalence of YLD in 2019. LAC region has experienced a significant burden of other MSK disorders over the last three decades. To challenge this growing burden, population-based strategies designed to reduce the burden of other MSK and strengthen health systems to contribute effective and cost-efficient care are necessary.

Quality of medicines and public health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): a review

PurposeIncreased outsourcing and importation of drugs from different parts of the world to the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region result in the proliferation of substandard and fake medicines, posing a threat to public health. The presence of substandard and fake medications in LAC regions is a source of public health concern and causes an economic burden to the governments in these regions. Whereas testing and detecting medication quality can easily be achieved in developed countries, the situation is different in developing countries such as LAC. This paper aims to examine the public health challenges faced by LAC regarding substandard, fake and counterfeit medicines and how the region can tackle these challenges.Design/methodology/approachDatabases such as Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, HINARI, EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, unpublished data, conference abstracts and papers from World Health Organization, Pan-American Health Organization and electronic newspapers were searched concerning medicine quality and in LAC.FindingsDrug treatment improves the quality of life while decreasing morbidity and mortality among diseased populations. Absence of or inadequate testing laboratories, old and ineffective legislature, lack of enforcement or willpower and lack of effective surveillance are challenges in LAC for the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines (SFMs).Research limitations/implicationsThe most significant limitation of this study was the need for the reviewers to have used articles written in other languages besides English. The LAC region has a large population in non-English-speaking countries, and many articles are written using local languages. Hence, excluding those articles is a limitation worthy of note in this review. The articles accessed needed to provide adequate information on SFM markets and illegal pharmacies or hospitals but did not. Future reviews may focus on providing illegal substandard and falsified medicines markets in the region and how they can be minimized or eliminated.Originality/valueThis review highlights the challenges faced by LAC countries regarding substandard, fake and counterfeit medicines. The sources, prevalence and consequences of substandard and falsified drugs were identified to suggest the measures needed to curb the infiltration of low-quality medicines in LAC.

One Belt One Road Initiative and Its Implications for Latin America

China has consolidated itself as a powerful economic and geopolitical entity in the 21st century. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the biggest infrastructure project that could potentially launch China to the top of the world’s economy. The BRI not only aims to increase the economic reach of China around the globe but to consolidate its growing political influence within those states that form part of it. Latin America, although a region that does not play an important role in world economics, could be one of the strategic zones within the BRI. As such, twenty countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have already joined the initiative, which has also excluded the United States of America (U.S.) as a measured counterweight to the influence it possesses. Some countries in the LAC region view the BRI as an opportunity to unshackle themselves from the ever-growing constraints that the USA places on them and at the same time, establish a stronger bond with the country that could one day become the largest economy in the world.

Regional gender regimes in the global South: An empirical approach

This article extends Walby's model of gender regimes to the global South by constructing South-appropriate measures for her four institutional domains (economy, polity, civil society, and violence). I examine interactions of these operationalizations with gender inequality/women's well-being indicators in 112 countries in four regions: Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Southeast and South Asia (SESA), and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Organizing the analysis by domain suggests potentially distinctive types of Southern gender regimes. Although I find similarities in some South-North institutions and inequality outcomes, the specifically global South indicators matter. Overall gender inequalities vary regionally, as do the domains where institutional characteristics are associated with larger inequalities. The LAC region appears to follow a liberal-democratic public gender regime, SESA relationships most resemble the mean values for the global South, but MENA and SSA have regionally distinctive and substantively opposite patterns among their institutional domains.

Latin American agency: The New Development Bank, Uruguay's accession and Brazilian influence

AbstractThis study provides insight into the current evolution of the New Development Bank (NDB). It examines the role of the agency of the global South reshaping intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) in the case of Brazil's influence on the NDB to expand its membership. In that process, this article homes in on the admission of Uruguay to the NDB as a prospective member in September 2021, the first case of NDB expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The study shows that the membership negotiations between Montevideo and the Bank were less rigid and formal than the procedural norms of multilateral development banks (MDBs) of the North, thanks to the collaborative agency by the various LAC actors involved. It makes the case that Uruguay's accession to the NDB will produce numerous win‐win benefits for both the country and the Bank. It also argues that the membership will inspire the future accession of other countries in the LAC region to the Bank. The study adds to the scant literature which conceptualizes the mechanics of membership expansion by small or new IGOs. The piece also adds to existing studies investigating how LAC agency has previously shaped and continues to shape MDBs.

Prevalence and incidence of stroke in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Stroke is a recurrent and well-known cardiovascular event and a leading cause of death worldwide. We identified reliable epidemiological evidence of stroke in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and estimated the prevalence and incidence of stroke, overall and by sex, in that region. A systematic search in OVID (Medline, Embase and Global Health) and in the Latin America and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) until the end of 2020 was made for all cross-sectional or longitudinal studies estimating (or allowing the estimation of) the prevalence or incidence of stroke among individuals of the general population ≥ 18 years from LAC countries. No language restriction was applied. Studies were assessed for methodological quality and risk of bias. Pooled estimates were calculated using random effect meta-analysis as high heterogeneity was expected. A total of 31 papers for prevalence and 11 papers for incidence were included in the review for analysis. The overall pooled stroke prevalence was 32 (95% CI 26–38) per 1000 subjects and were similar among men (21; 95% CI 17–25) and women (20; 95% CI 16–23) per 1000 subjects. The overall pooled stroke incidence was 255 (95% CI 217–293) per 100 000 person-years, being higher in men (261; 95% CI 221–301) compared to women (217; 95% CI 184–250) per 100 000 person-years. Our results highlight the relevance of the prevalence and incidence of stroke in the LAC region. The estimates were similar in stroke prevalence by sex, but with higher incidence rates among males than females. Subgroup analyses highlight the need for standardized methodologies to obtain appropriate prevalence and incidence estimates at the population level in a region with a great burden of cardiovascular events.

BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE: DYNAMICS FOR THE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is increasingly turning out to become a global endeavor and has recently been extended to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. The diversity in the makeup of the nation-states in the region poses several challenges concerning the region's association with the BRI. For instance, Venezuela has borrowed heavily from China while being mired in economic troubles. The Venezuelan example serves as a caution to others as well as China on the intricacies of debt management and lending. This paper aims to study the challenges and risks arising from the Belt and Road Initiative extending to Latin America and the Caribbean region. This paper also tries to analyses as to whether a win-win outcome can be achieved for both China and the LAC nation-states and as to what China seeks from the region. An attempt has been made to evaluate the role that the global environment might play in this evolving relationship between China and the LAC nation-states. The paper also analyse the post pandemic BRI investment in the LAC region.

Indoor and outdoor air pollutants as emerging public health threat in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review

PurposeThis systematic review examined the emerging threat of indoor and outdoor pollutants to public health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).Design/methodology/approachPollutants and pollution levels are becoming an increasing cause for concern within the LAC region, primarily because of the rapid increase in urbanization and the use of fossil fuels. The rise in indoor and outdoor air pollutants impacts public health, and there are limited regional studies on the impact of these pollutants and how they affect public health. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Web of Science and ScienceDirect databases. Significant search terms included “indoor air pollution,” “outdoor air pollution,” “pollution,” “Latin America,” “Central America,” “South America” and “Caribbean was used.” The systematic review utilized the Rayyan systematic software for uploading and sorting study references.FindingsDatabase searches produced 1,674 results, of which, after using the inclusion–exclusion criteria and assessing for bias, 16 studies were included and used for the systematic review. These studies covered both indoor and outdoor pollution. Various indoor and outdoor air pollutants linked to low birth weight, asthma, cancer and DNA impairment were reported in this review. Even though only some intervention programs are available within the region to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution, these programs need to be robust and appropriately implemented, causing possible threats to public health. Significant gaps in the research were identified, especially in the Caribbean.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include limited available research done within LAC, with most of the research quantifying pollutants rather than addressing their impacts. Additionally, most studies focus on air pollution but neglect water and land pollution’s effects on public health. For this reason, the 16 studies included limited robustness of the review.Originality/valueAlthough available studies quantifying pollution threats in LAC were identified in this review, research on the adverse impacts of pollution, especially concerning public health, is limited. LAC countries should explore making cities more energy-efficient, compact and green while improving the transportation sector by utilizing clean power generation. In order to properly lessen the effects of pollution on public health, more research needs to be done and implemented programs that are working need to be strengthened and expanded.