Suicide in Jamaica

The paper describes the methodology and findings of a personal enquiry on suicide in Jamaica. Seventy-six possible cases of sudden death were indentified among 29,000 deaths during 1975/76. It has been confirmed that suicide is rare in Jamaica. The rate in the total population of 2,000,000 was 1.4 per 100,000 per annum in 1975/76. The results of a field survey reveal that the suicide verdict was given in 16 out of 58 probable cases. This finding gives partial support to the hypothesis that this low suicide rate was the result of social factors but which consistently lead to the under-recording of suicide. Thus the verdict of suicide will not be given among farmers but is more likely to be given among the married and those who die in prison. The epidemiology of suicide is described. The data support the view that in the stable environment of a traditional society, the clearly defined female role will act as a defence against suicide. The suicide rate of females is higher than expected among the elderly and the previously married but is lower than expected for city dwellers. It is noteworthy that suicide among males in small towns is 3 to 4 times greater that expected (AU)

Social attempted suicide: young women in two contrasting areas

The study compares attempted suicide data among young women of two ethnic groups resident in native West Indian and immigrant Birmingham environments. Although African rates are higher than East Indian ones, the three-fold increase in the immigrant population was unrelated to ethnic origin. This was also true regarding clinical data, patients using psychotropic tablets and giving similar reasons for attempting suicide. Formal psychiatric diagnosis were, however, less frequently made in Birmingham where patients preferred analgesic tablets to the domestic agents used instead by the West Indian population. The aetiological significance of the socio-cultural factors is discussed (Summary)

Attempted suicide among Commonwealth immigrants in Birmingham

The distribution of attempted suicide among Commonwealth immigrants has been investigated in Birmingham. Four-year data concerning 119 (43 males, 76 females) admissions to hospitals there have been used. The crude rate of attempted suicide (94 per 100 000 per annum) is lower than that for the native population. All the patients were younger than 44, and repeated suicide attempts were rearly seen and drug and alcohol abuse were found to be less prevalent than among admissions of British origin. The data indicate that attempted suicide among immigrants in Birmingham is benign in comparison with that among the natives there (Summary)

Socio-cultural determinants of attempted suicide among West Indians in Birmingham: ethnic origin and immigrant status

The author studied the significance of ethnic origin and immigrant status in attempted suicide. Epidemiological data (1969-72) indicated that self-poisoning among West Indian immigrants in Birmingham was less prevalent than among natives there but more prevalent than in the West Indies. The association of recent pregnancy with attempted suicide among young immigrant patients was noteworthy. Attempted suicide among immigrants was often relatively benign; few abused alcohol or drugs or made repeated attempts. The markedly lower male rate of attempted suicide, and its rarity in older persons, confirms previous findings.(Summary)

Attempted suicide in Trinidad and Tobago

All the 90 (25.7 per cent) attempted suicide patients from 350 consecutive female admissions to the psychiatric unit in Trinidad and Tobago are described. The age and diagnostic distribution was similar to that reported from other areas but there was no evidence of an epidemic. A psychiatric diagnosis, most often a depressive affective disorder, was made for two-thirds of patients. Patients not diagnosed were younger than 25, used household poisons more often than tablets, received short periods of in-patient care but had similar precipitating events to older patients. It is suggested that age, diagnostic practice, effective severity and management are directly related. The implications for management are discussed (AU)

Socio-cultural aspects of attempted suicide among women in Trinidad and Tobago

This study describes the distribution of female attempted suicide among the East Indian and African populations in Trinidad and Tobago. The main findings were: 1. A similar attempted suicide rate among all persons in each sub-cultural group. 2. A difference in the age group distribution among them. East Indians were older (25 and over) and Africans younger (10-24). 3. In making the attempt East Indians swallowed domestic substances more often than Africans, though both groups gave similar reasons for their actions. The findings support the view that sociocultural factors are important determinants of attempted suicide. (Summary)

Socio-cultural determinants of psychiatric disorder among women in Trinidad & Tobago

This study of psychiatric disorder among women presenting at the one acute psychiatric unit in a well-defined but limited area showed that: 1. The admissions were of a young age. Only about ten per cent were older than 44 and less than two per cent older than 64 years of age. 2. The admission rates for the East Indian and African sub-cultural groups were similar. 3. This relationship was upheld for the major diagnoses irrespective of a history of attempted suicide leading to admission. 4. Among the effective disorders - the East Indians were diagnosed reactive more often than Africans whereas for severe depression, the reverse was true. It is concluded that the environmental and endogenous factors leading to admission for psychiatric disorder are equally disturbed. Socio-cultural determinants of affective symtomatology and diagnosis are discussed (AU)

First admissions and planning in Jamaica

An unselected sample of 90 first admissions (66 male and 24 female) to the only mental hospital in Jamaica is described. Over 60 percent were less than 35 years of age with a younger age of onset in the males. Half the admissions were schizophrenics, a fifth affective disorders, a quarter of organic disorders, and none psychoneurotic. The sex distributions of these groups showed a marked male excess for schizophrenia and organic disorders which was not present for affective disorders. In addition to the effects of introducing psychiatric care in general hospitals, factors of selection, social stress and protection are discussed to explain these findings. The implications for planning and research are noted. It is recommended that nurses be given authority as Mental Health Supervisors to cope with the problems in this rural society (Summary)

Psychiatric sequelae of late congenital syphilis: a case report from Jamaica

The presentation of congenital syphilis in a 10-year-old female patient in Jamaica is described. Behaviour disorder and E.E.G. abnormalities were reversed by therapy (AU)

Syphilis in a Jamaican psychiatric hospital: a review of 52 cases including 17 of neurosyphilis

Syphilis was diagnosed in 52 of 200 patients in an admission ward at the psychiatric hospital in Jamaica. 17 (8.5 percent) had neurosyphilis, tabes dorsalis was absent, meningovascular syphilis was rare (2 cases), GPI was common (10 cases) and 5 cases were unclassified. The present-day difficulties in diagnosis associated with previous inadequate penicillin therapy are stressed. A disappointly high cronicity rate of 35.3 percent was noted among neurosyphilis patients, one of whom died. (Summary)