A recent study suggests that suicide in Guyana is linked to poor coping skills and a cycle of violence that includes murder-suicide, interpersonal violence, corporal punishment and child sexual abuse.
“These are inextricably linked, fueling one another, and are amplified by predominant notions of masculinity, family dysfunctions, sexual inequality and alcohol abuse—all of which are major catalysts for the poor coping strategies found across ethnic groups,” the Guyana Foundation said in a press release yesterday, announcing the findings.
The study of underlying economic and social factors driving the high prevalence of suicide and suicidal behaviour in Guyana was conducted by researcher Serena Coultress, who gathered data from suicide attempters, religious leaders and mental health professionals. Coultress, a researcher in the Global Health programme at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, was hosted in Guyana by the Foundation earlier this year.
The announcement of the findings came just days after the release of a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report that named Guyana as the country with the highest estimated suicide rate for 2012.
According to the Foundation, Guyana’s ranking was in spite of a decline in the country’s suicide rate by 8.5% between 2000 and 2012. “This suggests that local efforts to combat suicide have simply not kept up with that of other countries, which have done a better job at tackling the problem,” it noted.
The Foundation called Coultress’ findings significant, saying they offer insight and perspective into what is viewed as a “suicide crisis” in Guyana.
The WHO report also highlighted the fact that the suicide rate was higher for males than for females across all age groups in Guyana. In 2012, the overall suicide rate for males was 70.8 per 100,000, while that for females was 22.1 per 100,000.
According to the Foundation, Coultress’ study found that the disproportionate number of suicides committed by males was linked to societal expectations of gender roles. “These gender roles are shaped by culture, where men are viewed as “providers.” Those who did not meet these expectations were subjected to stigma and social isolation,” it said. “Of particular note was the depressed economy that inhibits some men from maintaining employment and fulfilling their “provider” role. Where suitable coping skills were lacking, this resulted in conflicts, which, in some cases, led to violent expressions towards female partners that were potentially aggravated by alcohol abuse,” it added.
Overemphasised
According to the Foundation, the findings show that the lack of a suitable coping mechanism feeds a sense of hopelessness and frustration, which inevitably requires an external outlet. “Suicide is then viewed by those who attempt it as a “solution” to the problems faced, unless alternative coping strategies are introduced, or personal circumstances are altered,” it said.
Additionally, the study also found that in Guyana, the role of ethnicity in suicidality has been overemphasised. “Although problematic gender roles were found to be amplified within Indian and rural communities, it was impossible to say with any certainty whether these gender roles were driven by the Indo-Guyanese culture, or the rural location of many predominantly East Indian communities,” the Foundation noted.
It added that participants in the study were said to have also highlighted their belief that the suicide rate may be higher among the Amerindian population, but this remains undocumented due to their largely isolated locality. Additionally, when suicide is recast to include “suicidal behaviour” inclusive of reckless behaviour, the differentiation between Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese was less obvious, it said.
In the light of this study’s findings, the Foundation said Coultress’ main recommendation is that suicide prevention in Guyana cannot be solely focused on coping strategies and on tackling the sense of hopelessness, as these occur late in the process towards suicidality, in which individuals are likely to have already suffered abuse, stigma, isolation or poverty. “Suicide cannot be considered or redressed in isolation. Instead, an effective solution requires a collaborative and broader approach, and the efforts of mental health professionals must be supported by broader social change,” it noted.
Meanwhile, Managing Director of the Guyana Foundation Anthony Autar was quoted as saying that one of the factors that has inhibited efforts to tackle Guyana’s high suicide rate was the lack of insight into the reasons for the high prevalence. As a result, he said the findings of the study would greatly assist the Guyana Foundation and other entities to address the situation. “The Foundation will continue its efforts to bring relief to people in need across Guyana, with an emphasis on tackling the factors occurring early in the process towards suicidality,” he added
