UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

GIA 4104
Submitted by: Radha Mohabir

Lecturer: R. Takhur
10/24/2014

Suicide in Guyana
Over the years suicide have become one of the leading cause of death in Guyana and is a major
concern for local health authorities and Government of Guyana. According to Inews Guyana the
Pan American Health Organization reported that Guyana has the highest rate of suicide for the
period 2005 - 2009, with figures of 22.2 per every 100 deaths as a result of suicide1. Further
breakdown of the suicide statistics for Guyana by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards
have shown that Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne, tops the country for the number of deaths
by suicide. Another interesting fact that could be gathered from this report by Guyana Bureau of
Standards is the number persons of East Indian ethnicity that commits suicide. Although suicide
is global issue that happens in almost every country it is a worrying issue that draws paramount
interest among the Indo- Guyanese community because of the increasing number of suicide
among persons of Indian Ethnicity.
Suicide can be defined as the act of intentionally causing ones own death. There are various
reasons that contribute to suicide such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline
personality disorder, alcoholism or drug abuse. There are other such as stress factors or drug
abuse. All of these factors can be a result of ones culture or economic stability of a country.
Further research done by the author have shown that India too have been troubled by high rates
of death by suicide. India has also been topping the tables by the World Health Organization for
countries with the highest death by suicide. If any raw conclusion can be drawn from the facts
presented above it shows that there is a high suicide rate among persons of Indian ethnicity.

(Inews Guyana )

It is with these facts that are presented above the author has decided to carry out an investigation
to determine the reasons that contribute for suicide among Indio Guyanese.