🔬 About the SIE
The Research and Statistics Sector (SIE) is the scientific core of the Panamanian Society of Sports Medicine (SPMD). Its mission is to analyse, integrate and disseminate national data on health and physical performance, driving evidence-based policy and fostering interdisciplinary research in the country.
Through the SIE, the SPMD consolidates data from the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the Gorgas Memorial Institute, INEC, PAHO/WHO and national and international academic centres, turning numbers into knowledge and knowledge into action.
⚠️ Current burden of disease · Panama
Consolidated analysis of national indicators (2022-2023) based on MINSA, INEC, RNCP, GLOBOCAN and ENSPA (National Health Survey of Panama).
📍 Cancer mortality by province (2022)
| Province / Indigenous region | Total | Men | Women | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panamá | 1 476 | 694 | 782 | 40.2% |
| Panamá Oeste | 586 | 306 | 280 | 16.0% |
| Chiriquí | 456 | 221 | 235 | 12.4% |
| Colón | 255 | 116 | 139 | 7.0% |
| Coclé | 241 | 129 | 112 | 6.6% |
| Veraguas | 221 | 122 | 99 | 6.0% |
| Los Santos | 143 | 72 | 71 | 3.9% |
| Herrera | 126 | 67 | 59 | 3.4% |
| Bocas del Toro | 101 | 60 | 41 | 2.8% |
| Other / Indigenous regions | 63 | 35 | 28 | 1.7% |
| NATIONAL TOTAL | 3 668 | 1 822 | 1 846 | 100% |
🎗️ Incidence and mortality by cancer type (2022)
| Site | New cases | Deaths | % case fatality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prostate | 1 476 | 390 | 26.4% |
| Breast (female) | 1 089 | 297 | 27.3% |
| Colorectal | 820 | 374 | 45.6% |
| Stomach | 496 | 375 | 75.6% |
| Cervix uteri | 371 | 192 | 51.8% |
❤️ Deaths from diseases of the circulatory system (2022-2023)
| Province / Indigenous region | 2022 | 2023 | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panamá* | 2 757 | 2 757 | n/a* |
| Panamá Oeste* | 1 058 | 1 058 | n/a* |
| Chiriquí | 768 | 849 | +10.5% |
| Colón | 507 | 609 | +20.1% |
| Coclé | 488 | 480 | -1.6% |
| Veraguas* | 433 | 433 | n/a* |
| Los Santos | 279 | 323 | +15.8% |
| Other | 271 | 525 | +93.7% |
| NATIONAL TOTAL | 6 561 | 7 034 | +7.2% |
📊 Leading causes of death and rates by sex (2022)
| Cause | Total (rate) | Men (rate) | Women (rate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malignant neoplasms | 3 668 (82.3) | 1 822 (81.6) | 1 846 (82.95) |
| Ischaemic heart diseases | 2 189 (49.1) | 1 301 (58.3) | 888 (39.9) |
| Cerebrovascular diseases | 1 877 (42.1) | 1 063 (47.6) | 814 (36.6) |
| Other heart diseases | 1 696 (38.0) | 907 (40.6) | 789 (35.5) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 1 433 (32.1) | 661 (29.6) | 772 (34.7) |
| Hypertensive diseases | 1 068 (24.0) | 565 (25.3) | 503 (22.6) |
🏃 Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour
Integrated data from ENSPA 2019 (national) + PAHO/WHO 2022 (regional).
| Indicator | National value | 95% CI / source |
|---|---|---|
| Physical inactivity (total, ENSPA 2019) | 54.9% | 54.1–57.3 |
| Physical inactivity (WHO/GHO model 2022) | 57.6% | 95% CI 46.6–68.0 (GHO) |
| Inactive women | 64.7% | 63.7–66.7 |
| Inactive men | 43.4% | 41.5–47.5 |
| Adults meeting WHO recommendation (150 min/wk) | 39.5% | ENSPA 2019 |
| Median sedentary time/day | 120 min | ENSPA 2019 |
| Adolescents 15–17 NOT meeting recommendation | ~90% | ENSPA 2019 (10% compliant) |
| Regional mean, Americas (2022) | 35.6% | WHO/GHO (AMR) |
| PAHO classification (Panama) | Quintile 5 (Q5) | worst 20% |
| Trend 2000→2022 | ~36% → ~58% | GHO (age-std.) |
| Attributable cost of inactivity/year | US$ 13.8M | Lancet GH 2022 · Table S8 |
🧒 Paediatric and adolescent population · 11–17 years
The group with the greatest preventive potential. Inactivity established in adolescence translates into early-onset obesity, paediatric MetSx and adult cardiometabolic disease. The SPMD prioritises this age band as a critical window for intervention.
| Indicator | Panama | Comparator (LATAM/global) | WHO 2020 recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adolescents 15–17 NOT meeting 60 min/day | ~90% | ~81% global (Lancet 2019) | ≥60 min/day moderate-to-vigorous activity |
| Adolescents 15–17 meeting 60 min/day | 10% (M 14.4% · F 2.1%) | ~19% | 100% (WHO 2030 target) |
| Median sedentary screen time (5–14 y) | 120 min/day | 2.5–4 h/day | <2 h/day (recommendation) |
| Overweight/obesity <19 years | ~20.8% | 33.6% (LATAM/Caribbean, 2023) | <15% (regional target) |
| Childhood sedentary behaviour (schoolchildren 9–13 y) | 43.5% | ↑ trend | — |
| Paediatric metabolic syndrome | no national data | ~6–10% | — |
| Adolescent hypertension | no national data | ~4–7% | — |
🎯 WHO 2020 recommendation · Children and adolescents 5-17 years
- An average of ≥60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (mostly aerobic)
- Muscle- and bone-strengthening activities ≥3 days/week
- Limit sedentary time, especially recreational screen time
- Adequate sleep: 9–11h (5–13 years), 8–10h (14–17 years)
❤️🔥 Sudden death in athletes · a national data gap
There is no national registry of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes in Panama. The SPMD documents this gap and proposes creating one as an institutional priority.
| Cohort | SCD incidence | Leading cause | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| US college athletes | 1 : 53 703 / year | HCM (~36%) · ARVC (~9%) · channelopathies (~9%) | Harmon 2015 (NCAA) |
| US young competitive athletes | ~75–125 deaths/year | HCM 36% · coronary anomalies 17% | Maron 2009 (Circulation) |
| Italian athletes (mandatory ECG screening) | ↓ 89% post-screening | ARVC 23% · HCM 2% | Corrado et al. JAMA 2006 |
| FIFA football athletes | ~1.5 / 100 000 athlete-years | HCM · DCM · channelopathies | Schmied & Borjesson 2014 |
| Panama (national registry) | NO DATA | — | SIE-SPMD data gap |
📈 Time trend · physical inactivity (2000-2022)
🌎 Panama vs the Americas (2022)
- MINSA — Basic Health Indicators 2022-2023
- ENSPA 2019 — National Health Survey (Gorgas/MINSA)
- GLOBOCAN 2022 — Panama Fact Sheet (IARC/WHO)
- MINSA — Health Situation Analysis (ASIS) 2023
- PAHO/WHO — NMH Data Portal: Physical Activity (2022)
- WHO — Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour (2020)
- PAHO — Physical Activity Country Profile: Panama (2022)
- Strain T, et al. (NCD-RisC). National, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022. Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(8):e1232-e1243. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00150-5
- Maron BJ, et al. Sudden deaths in young competitive athletes: analysis of 1866 deaths in the United States, 1980-2006. Circulation. 2009;119(8):1085-1092.
- Corrado D, et al. International recommendations for electrocardiographic interpretation in athletes. Eur Heart J. 2017;38(21):1466-1480.
- Harmon KG, et al. Incidence, cause, and comparative frequency of sudden cardiac death in NCAA athletes. Circulation. 2015;132(1):10-19.
- WHO/PAHO. Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) — Panama Country Report.
📄 SIE-SPMD technical documents
Official repository of technical documents of the Research and Statistics Sector. Each document supports SPMD publications and reports with data, methodology and references.
Use permitted with attribution to the source · CC BY 4.0 licence.
📘 SPMD Trilogy 2026 · Official guidelines
Institutional documents published with a permanent DOI on Zenodo. Active output of SIE-SPMD Press (editorial imprint approved by Act AT-2024-00005).
📘 SPMD Guide 2026 — Exercise Prescription in Primary Health Care (PHC)
Technical reference guideline for the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA) and primary care in LATAM · v3 · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20030353 · 37 pp.
📗 Medical Recommendation · Sporting Events
Protocols for event medical directors · v1.5 · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20031139 · 29 pp.
📙 PA Guide · Mental Health and CV Prevention
Physical activity, mental health and cardiovascular prevention · v2.0 · DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20030659 · 18 pp.
📝 Documents under review · forthcoming
- Guideline on exercise recommendations in Gynaecology and Obstetrics
- Guideline on mental health and sport psychology (with international consultancy)
SPMD documentary output is disseminated through technical guidelines with a permanent Zenodo DOI under the SPMD Press editorial imprint (Act AT-2024-00005), ensuring traceability, scientific citation and CC BY 4.0 open access.
📰 Sport Science · automated scientific ingestion
The SIE-SPMD maintains a curated database of recent scientific articles (PubMed / Europe PMC) processed through the institutionally approved EvidenX system.
🧬 Open Sport Science →
63 scientific articles published · 8 specialties · continuously updated via EvidenX.
💪 The science of exercise · evidence that saves lives
Physical exercise is not optional — it is preventive medicine with the highest return on investment in public health.
📈 Quantified impact · risk reduction by disease
| Condition | Risk reduction | Level of evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-cause mortality | -31% (RR 0.69) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very high | Garcia 2023 (BJSM) |
| Cardiovascular disease | -29% (RR 0.71) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very high | Garcia 2023 · Lear 2017 (PURE) |
| Type 2 diabetes | -35 to -50% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very high | Cochrane 2022 |
| Colon cancer | -20 to -30% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High | JAMA 2020 |
| Breast cancer | -20 to -25% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High | Meta-analysis 2019 |
| Major depression | -20 to -30% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High | BMJ 2023 |
| Dementia and Alzheimer's disease | -25 to -35% | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High | Lancet Neurology 2020 |
🎯 Official recommendations · WHO 2020
Adults 18-64 years
- 150-300 min/week of moderate aerobic activity, OR
- 75-150 min/week of vigorous aerobic activity
- PLUS: Muscle strengthening ≥2 days/week
🔬 Research and Statistics Sector (SIE)
"Transforming scattered data into integrated knowledge. From evidence to action."
Director: Dr. Mauricio Beitia Kraemer, Director of the Research and Statistics Sector (SIE-SPMD). Institutional basis: SPMD Founding Act (07/07/2024), ratified by Resolution (16/11/2024).
The SIE is the scientific core of the SPMD. It embodies the institution's commitment to transparency, open science and multisectoral collaboration in the analysis of public health data.
Through the SIE, the SPMD consolidates information from multiple official national and international sources, harmonising time series, standardising methodologies and producing integrated analyses that no single source produces on its own.
🏛️ Institutional architecture · the SPMD ecosystem
The SPMD operates as an umbrella organisation with 5 specialised arms, each with its own governance and documented institutional approval.
📊 Data integration methodology
The SIE-SPMD uses a multi-source analytical model that combines national and international data with advanced technological tools. See full technical documentation →
📈 National sources
- MINSA — Basic Indicators, ASIS, Bulletins
- INEC — Vital Statistics, Census
- Gorgas Institute — ENSPA, Surveillance
- RNCP — National Cancer Registry
🌍 International sources
- PAHO — Health in the Americas
- WHO — Global Health Observatory
- IARC/GLOBOCAN — Cancer Today
- Lancet — GBD Study
🤖 Advanced technology
- EvidenX — Structural mapping (AT-2025-00001)
- Machine Learning — Pattern detection
- Visualisation — Interactive dashboards
- Automation — Continuous updating
🤝 Collaborative model · SPMD board + artificial intelligence
The SIE operates under an innovative hybrid model that combines the clinical/epidemiological expertise of the SPMD board with the analytical power of AI.
⚙️ SIE workflow
AI-driven automation for extraction, cleaning and validation of data from multiple official sources.
The SPMD board oversees AI-assisted analysis: trend detection, calculation of adjusted rates, epidemiological projections.
Specialist physicians interpret results, contextualise findings and validate clinical coherence.
Automated generation of reports, interactive charts and evidence-based recommendations.
💎 Guiding principles of the SIE
🔓 Transparency
All sources cited, methodologies documented, data traceable.
🔬 Scientific rigour
Cross-validation, quality control, peer review.
🌐 Open access
A public platform, without barriers, serving professionals and citizens.
⚡ Continuous updating
Quarterly monitoring, immediate incorporation of new official data.
🤝 Collaboration
Partnerships with MINSA, universities and international organisations.
🎯 Social impact
Translating data into public policy and prevention programmes.
🏆 Why the SPMD matters for Panama
The SPMD is the scientific body that brings together health, physiology and sport professionals in Panama. Its role goes beyond clinical practice: it promotes applied research, the prevention of noncommunicable diseases and continuing education for physicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists and coaches.
The SIE embodies the SPMD's commitment to transparency, open science and international collaboration. Every chart, every table and every number on this platform is an invitation to understand the present and shape the future of health in Panama.
🎯 Mission and vision
Mission
To promote excellence in sports medicine through continuing education, scientific research and the promotion of physical activity as a fundamental tool for the prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases in Panama.
Vision
To be the leading sports medicine organisation in Central America, recognised for its scientific contribution, its impact on public health policy and its commitment to transforming the national epidemiological landscape through the prescription of physical exercise as preventive medicine.
🌟 Areas of impact
🎓 Education
Continuing training of health professionals in sports medicine, exercise physiology and injury prevention.
🔬 Research
Generation of scientific knowledge on exercise, sports performance and population health in the Panamanian context.
🏥 Public health
Collaboration with MINSA and other bodies to implement physical activity programmes as a prevention strategy.
🤝 Collaboration
Strategic partnerships with FIMS, COPAMEDE, universities and international organisations.
📜 Official documents
3 guidelines published with Zenodo DOIs · 2 under review · SPMD 2026 trilogy referenced by MINSA.
🧬 Open science
EvidenX as an approved institutional tool (AT-2025-00001) for structural evidence mapping.