Heavy drinking and violent behaviour in youths in Guyana

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the problem of alcohol among Guyanese youths and its gender implications. DESIGN AND METHODS: The Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) was reviewed since there is a dearth of statistics on the consumption of alcohol in youths and violent behaviour. In all, 2,392 students participated in the GSHS. The focus was on early youth. RESULTS: There was a high prevalence of violence in girls. This was reflected by 33.8% having been physically attacked in a 12 month period, 36.6% were bullied in one month and 25% were involved in physical fights in a 12 month period. This indicates that bullying is a serious problem among adolescents in schools. CONCLUSION: This issue is one of particular concern because early initiation of alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of alcoholism in adults. The age at first drink and the regular consumption of alcoholic beverages during adolescence are strongly influenced by social, economic, and environmental factors as indicated in WHO Facts on Alcohol and Violence. There appears to be no surveillance system that captures data on gender based violence in Guyana. Thus, a system should be established to examine gender-based violence in the wider context of other forms of violence including childhood abuse, sexual victimizations, and self-harm and suicide.

Trends in suicide mortality in Guyana from 2003 until 2013

OBJECTIVE: To describe trends in suicide mortality in Guyana between 2003 and 2013 by year, region, and sex. DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective study of suicide in Guyana over a 10 year period from 2003 – 2013 was conducted by analyzing data on cases of suicide published in Health Surveillance reports and Statistical Bulletins. The suicide rates per 100,000 were calculated by analyzing the number of suicides in the 10 year period. RESULTS: There was a gradual but constant increase in the rate of suicide between 2003-2013 with a slight reduction in 2011. This was true for male suicide rates in all regions. A mean annual suicide rate of 28.5 per 100,000 was estimated with an average of 200 lives being lost yearly. Suicide was ranked the second leading cause of death. East Indians accounted for approximately 80 % of total suicide deaths. The highest rate of suicide deaths is concentrated in Regions 6, 4, 3 and 2. CONCLUSIONS: By 2013, Guyana had one of the highest suicide rates in the world and can be regarded as a major public health problem which requires urgent intervention by the national authorities to ameliorate this situation affecting predominantly East Indians. Findings from this study can be used to guide interventions for suicide prevention and control.

Managing and debunking suicides in Guyana

OBJECTIVE: To review the suicide data in Guyana for mitigation. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were collected and analyzed to establish gravity and trend of suicides in Guyana. RESULTS: In 2012, were 277 suicides and 6,925 attempted suicides in Guyana. There was a disproportionate increase in the Age-Specific Suicide Rates with age and sex. The most commonly used method for committing suicides was poisoning (pesticides and insecticides) accounting for more than 65% of cases, followed by hanging (>20%). East Indians accounted for 83.3% of all the suicides followed by Afro-Guyanese who accounted for 6.5% followed by Amerindians who accounted for 5.4% (Guyana Ministry of Health Reports, 2014). Hindus accounted for 33.7% of all attempted suicides while Pentecostals accounted for 34.3% Muslims 7.3%, and Adventists 7.0%. Catholics accounted for 3.8% while Jehovah’s Witnesses accounted for 2.0%. It was also hard to explain why “Orthodox Christians”, namely Anglicans, Presbyterians and Methodists accounted for 0.9%, 1.2% and 0.9% respectively while the rates were higher with Pentecostals. CONCLUSIONS: Given that 65% of suicide mortality was due to poisoning (pesticides) and that high rates of suicide mortality were concentrated in certain regions, limiting access to these lethal products through a comprehensive community program is a crucial intervention. Various (12 in number) known community myths about suicides in Guyana were discussed in full as tools for suicide prevention and management.

HIV seroprevalence in antenatal women in Barbados - abstract

Barbados has reported, up to the end of September 1991, a total of 231 cases of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), with 162 deaths from the disease. This is one of the highest incidences reported by countries to the World Health Organization. In order to bring the disease under control, one has to estimate the gravity of the problem in at-risk groups within the society. This calls for an organized programme of counselling and testing of individuals and groups who have been exposed, knowingly or unknowingly, to the human immunodeficiency virus - the causitive agent of AIDS. In pursuance of the above objective, the Ministry of Health in Barbados has launched a programme whereby pregnant women are being screened for the virus after they have been counselled, and informed consent obtained. This programme was commenced early in 1991 at the Winston Scott Polyclinic, which serves a catchment area with an estimated population of 58,000 which compares with the total population of 256,000. In addition, a questionnaire, covering the basic demographic and sexual behaviour patterns of the women was completed for each of the participants. During the first ten months of 1991 a total of 401 antenatal women were counselled and 400 tested for HIV. Six (6) were found to be HIV-positive, giving a prevalence rate of 1.5 per cent. One woman refused to be tested. The findings of the questionnaire showed that a large number of respondents were unmarried and had had multiple sexual contacts. Their partners were occasional users of condoms. The findings support the need for more health educaton in relation to the practise of safe sex in the population of women attending the polyclinic (AU)