1. To conduct epidemiological studies of chronic diseases in the Caribbean through collaboration with governmental and nongovernmental agencies in the region;
2. To promote collaborative and comparative research among minority populations in the United States and those of similar ethnic background in other populations.

The OBJECTIVES of the Virgin Islands Center for Chronic Disease Research are structured around three major activities: research, training, and service.

1. Research initiatives are focused on identifying biological lifestyle, psychosocial, cultural and transitional risk factors for morbidity and mortality to provide the necessary information for effective primary and secondary prevention efforts.
2. Training activities are designed to increase the pool of investigators from ethnic groups characteristic of the region, and to promote the development of collaborative projects among local investigators.
3. Service activities focus on the development and evaluation of systems for disease monitoring and development of prevention and health promotion efforts.