Guyana

Very little is known about family structures, maternal roles, and socioeconomic differences of families in the English-speaking Caribbean. These topics are especially relevant for the country of Guyana, which has one of the poorest economies in the Caribbean.

Situated between Suriname, Brazil, and Venezuela, Guyana has a population of 767,000 people and is roughly the size of Kansas. The population is comprised largely of East Indians, blacks, and a small group of Amerindians. The official language is English; however, four dialects, including Creole and Caribbean Hindustani, are also spoken.

Although rich in natural resources, Guyana is plagued with extreme poverty. Roughly 36 percent [Page 478]of Guyanese live below the national poverty line. Inequality, ethnic disparities, high child and maternal mortality rates, and disproportionate access to health care are some of the issues that affect the people of Guyana. Reported to have an adult literacy rate of 98 percent, there appears to be no difference in functional literacy between males and females. Women, however, are overwhelmingly represented as the working poor and account for 51 percent of the total population. Approximately 25 percent of all households are headed by females, which contributes to the country's high rates of migration and divorce. In comparison to East Indians and Amerindians, which represent 35.2 and 2.6 percent of female-headed households, respectively, black women account for approximately 50 percent of all households headed by women.

Guyanese women have a fertility rate of two children per woman; consequently, the infant mortality rate is 30.4 per 1,000 live births. Likewise, the under-5 mortality rate is relatively high at 64 per 1,000 live births. Though maternal mortality rates remain high, there has been a substantial decline from 133.3 to 115.9 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2004. The primary causes of deaths for pregnant women are largely due to hemorrhaging, hypertensive diseases, abortion-related conditions, and complications during pregnancy and/or childbirth. Breastfeeding is an important aspect of motherhood in Guyana. In maternity wards, skin-to-skin contact between mother and child is assured immediately after childbirth. Over 90 percent of mothers begin breastfeeding within the first hour, and 70 percent breastfeed during the first month of life.

Family planning practices used in Guyana include oral contraceptives, followed by condoms, subdermal injections, and intrauterine devices. However, for females 15–49 years of age who are either married or in monogamous relationships, the use of all contraceptive methods is under 40 percent. Abortion laws allow for access to elective abortion services while prohibiting abortion procedures from taking place within public hospitals.

The national health care industry is controlled by the Guyanese government, which oversees health care policies and delivers health care services. Due in part to insufficient administrative resources, about 12.5 percent of the population does not have access to health services. Faced with the challenges of poverty, social inequality, ethnic disparities and inadequate access to health care, the Guyanese government created a National Plan between 2003 and 2007, which aimed to decrease infant and maternal mortality with importance placed on child and maternal health care, including vaccinations, nutrition, and healthy development.

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