Moves - Spaces - Places

In the complex and multi-layered process of migration and identity-building, classical migration theories and approaches of transnationalism seem no longer able to grasp how belonging and home are to be found in movement. This ethnography leads the reader into the lives of five Jamaican women in Montreal; their daily practices and experiences, their spaces of communion, their memories and projections for the future. Lisa Johnson sheds light on the mobile biographies and migratory agency of her interlocutors by following the intricate mental and physical trajectories of their deep-rooted yearning to return home.

Breast cancer screening patterns in Jamaican women: review of the largest national mammography clinic

Background Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer and cancer related deaths in Jamaican women. In Jamaica, women often present with advanced stages of breast cancer, despite the availability of screening mammography for early detection. The utilization of screening mammography for early breast cancer diagnosis seems to be limited, and this study investigated the national patterns of mammographic screening and the impact of mammography on the diagnosis of breast cancer in Jamaica. Methods A retrospective analysis of the records of the largest mammography clinic in Jamaica was done for the period January 2011 to December 2016. Descriptive statistics was performed on relevant patient characteristics with calculation of rates and proportions; cross-tabulations were utilized to assess relationship of covariates being studied on the outcomes of interest. Results are reported in aggregate form with no identifiable patient data. Results 48,203 mammograms were performed during the study period. 574 women (1.2%) had mammograms suspicious for breast cancer with median age of 57 years (range 30–95 years); 35% were under the age of 50. 4 women with suspicious findings had undergone ‘screening mammography’, with the remaining having ‘diagnostic mammography’. 38% reported previous mammograms, with a mean interval of 8 years between previous normal mammogram and mammogram suspicious for breast cancer. Median age at first screening mammogram was 51 years (range 41–77). Conclusion Breast cancer screening mammography is underutilized in Jamaica. An organized national breast cancer screening programme is recommended to improve adherence to international breast cancer screening guidelines.

Amy Bailey, Black Ladyhood, and 1950s Jamaica

This essay explores how and with what effect Amy Bailey, a teacher, women’s rights activist, and public intellectual, cofounded the Housecraft Training Centre to educate working-class Jamaican women in cooking, cleaning, childcare, and other “domestic sciences.” Newspaper articles, unpublished interviews, and other texts reveal that Bailey used the center to articulate a vision of working-class black ladyhood that advanced black women’s sense of racial dignity by valorizing elitist, patriarchal narratives at work in 1950s Jamaica. In doing so, Bailey ultimately fostered, as well as stymied, the possibility that Jamaica would come to realize what its national ethos professed—that it was an increasingly plural, prosperous, and egalitarian state well positioned for political independence from Britain.

Breast Cancer in Jamaica: Trends From 2010 to 2014—Is Mortality Increasing?

PURPOSE This study sought to provide a detailed analysis of breast cancer–specific mortality in Jamaica on the basis of reported deaths between 2010 and 2014. METHODS A cross-sectional study was done to analyze breast cancer–specific mortality data from the Registrar General’s Department, the statutory body responsible for registering all deaths across Jamaica. RESULTS A total of 1,634 breast cancer–related deaths were documented among Jamaican women between 2010 and 2014, which accounted for 24% of all female cancer deaths. The age-standardized breast cancer mortality rate increased from 21.8 per 100,000 in 2010 to 28 per 100,000 in 2014 for the total female population. The overall difference in breast cancer mortality rates between the 2014 and 2010 rates was not statistically significant ( P = .114). Analysis of the year-by-year trend reflected by the annual percentage of change did show, however, a statistically significant increasing trend in breast cancer mortality ( P = .028). Mortality rates varied by age, with statistically significant annual increases observed in the 35-44–, 65-74–, and ≥ 75-year age groups ( P = .04, .03, and .01, respectively). CONCLUSION Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death among Jamaican women. Despite global advances in breast cancer screening and management, breast cancer remains a major public health challenge and represents a public health priority in Jamaica. The increasing breast cancer–specific mortality in Jamaica over the 5-year period contrasts with decreasing mortality rates among US women with breast cancer. This study highlights the critical need to address the implementation of a national organized breast cancer screening program in Jamaica and to focus future research efforts on the biology of breast cancer, especially among young Jamaican women.

Breast Cancer screening patterns in Jamaican women: review of the largest national mammography clinic

Background Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer and cancer related deaths in Jamaican women. In Jamaica, women often present with advanced stages of breast cancer, despite the availability of screening mammography for early detection. The utilization of screening mammography for early breast cancer diagnosis seems to be limited, and this study investigated the national patterns of mammographic screening and the impact of mammography on the diagnosis of breast cancer in Jamaica.Methods A retrospective analysis of the records of the largest mammography clinic in Jamaica was done for the period January 2011 to December 2016. Descriptive statistics was performed on relevant patient characteristics with calculation of rates and proportions; cross-tabulations were utilized to assess relationship of covariates being studied on the outcomes of interest. Results are reported in aggregate form with no identifiable patient data.Results 48,203 mammograms were performed during the study period. 574 women (1.2%) had mammograms suspicious for breast cancer with median age of 57 years (range 30 – 95 years); 35% were under the age of 50. 4 women with suspicious findings had undergone ‘routine mammography’, with the remaining having ‘diagnostic mammography’. 38% reported previous mammograms, with a mean interval of 8 years between previous normal mammogram and abnormal mammogram. Median age at first screening mammogram was 51 years (range 41-77).Conclusion Breast cancer screening mammography is underutilized in Jamaica. An organized national breast cancer screening programme is recommended to improve adherence to international breast cancer screening guidelines.