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Health Disparities in Guyana

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Health Disparities in Guyana

Introduction

The healthcare of individuals around the globe has improved significantly in the past two

decades. However, until recently, the governments of middle and low-income countries tend to

show inequalities in health. Health inequalities exist in many communities and reflect the

inequalities between racial or ethnic groups and social groups. Inequalities in healthcare are a

major problem that many countries face. These inequalities create a large gap in the difference

between the quality and level of healthcare that a person receives. The government should

prioritize having reliable and improved healthcare systems for every individual. Therefore, a

country whose healthcare system ensures that the needs of the patients are met has much

overhaul to promote the attendance of patients. The West-Indian health demographic in the

diaspora reflects the health disparities in their respective countries. Ethnic customs, religious

beliefs, and culture play an essential role in how the patient's decisions in healthcare. As the

ethnic and racial diversity continues to increase, do the customs and culture. Cultural ties to diet

and health are also an essential risk factor in the morbidity of chronic diseases (Wilson et al,

2010). Noncommunicable lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and cancer

are the leading causes of death. Several factors promote the death and inequalities in healthcare.

The factors are not limited to predisposed environmental and genetic factors, poverty, and

socioeconomic problems. This has influenced the health expectancy age for both women and

men, which is currently at 68 years. The paper discusses health disparities in Guyana.

Thesis statement
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As it relates to the staggering statistics and health disparities in Guyana, the mortality rate of

chronic diseases is dramatically exasperated due to government regulations, lack of

infrastructure, and poverty.

Guyana has had a significant stride in healthcare since the development of the 2010

cooperation strategy. This includes sanitation facilities, improved water and awareness in

environmental health issues, reduction in child and maternal mortality, and increased life

expectancy. There is a growing literature in areas that explore the causes of health differences

and inequalities at the population, community, and individual levels (Bidulescu et al. 2015).

Several factors determine health inequalities in a country. The factors are not limited to a set of

biological, individual, and socioeconomic factors such as ethnicity, gender, age, geographical

area, working environment and employment, literacy and education, and income. Currently,

Guyana is in the epidemiological transition where the major causes of mortality and morbidity

are communicable diseases. Basing on the PAHO, communicable diseases are among the top

five factors promoting mortality. The factors promoting the mortality rate of individuals with

chronic diseases include:

Government regulation and environmental factors

Income is one of the strongest variables, which explains the variation in the health

condition of Guyanese. Income is an essential determinant of the living conditions of individuals,

such as health services, access to better education, food consumption, and shelter. Thus

interventions and policies aimed at improving the income of individuals may be one of the most

effective and efficient interventions to reduce health inequalities. The living condition of

individuals is subpar because due to limit jobs. According to IDB, there is a high poverty rate in

Guyana. As of 2017, at least 41.2% of individuals live on less than $5.5. Poverty has a
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disproportionate effect on the rural non-coastal region of Guyana. Besides, poverty greatly

affects young adults and individuals (Rambarran et al. 2021). The percentage of unemployed

individuals in Guyana stands at 20 percent, while the unemployment rate is 12 percent. It is

problematic for skilled and trained people to emigrate, which hinders the contributions to

healthcare development. Approximately 16% of newborn indigenous children are underweight,

which is below 2.5kg at birth. More children's death in developing countries is influenced by the

conditions, which can be treated or prevented with access to affordable and simple interventions.

Guyana is highly susceptible to natural disasters. The country experiences fluctuations in

weather conditions and climate, which can spoil the planted foods that can be a source of

income. Statistics show that the indigenous population is seriously affected by malnutrition.

About 25 percent of Guyanese children are stunted due to malnutrition. The environmental

factors in Guyana include air, noise, and water and land pollution, as well as land tenure. The

problem of water and land pollution is a consequence of factors such as irregular enforcement,

limited monitoring, inadequate financial resources and infrastructure, and poor governance.

Environmental instability has a huge impact on the growth of the economy (Modeste 2019).

Growth and development challenges are centered on low investment. The health profile of

Guyana is characterized by a disease that poses a double burden. Considering the

epidemiological profile of the country, health centers and health posts require the expansion and

upgrading the equipment facilities and the physical infrastructure. Poor infrastructure and

shortages of skilled workforce present huge challenges in developing adequate social services.

The safety system should be in part to improve nutrition for individuals living in poor

households. Insecurity and crime have become detrimental to the social cohesion and social

capital of Guyana.
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Education has a significant role in the socioeconomic gradient in the status of individuals.

Well-educated individuals tend to be healthier compared to individuals who are well-educated.

Besides, individuals with primary education are prone to premature death compared to

individuals with secondary and tertiary education. Due to no growth in the job sector, young

educated adults migrate to other nations promoting a countrywide shortage of nurses. Education

relates to the rural-urban disparities and income as less educated individuals are in the low social

class and have fewer chances of earning huge income (Akpinar-Elci et al. 2018). Key challenges

faced in education include poor performance, which is widespread in both secondary and

primary school. Educational institutions also face problems related to lack of discipline and

increased violence which promote average attendance in schools. The emigration of skilled and

trained individuals is problematic. Educated individuals play an essential role in the health status

and socioeconomic gradient of the economy. Less education shows that individuals have fewer

opportunities for high income. Among the factors and causes of mortality from cardiovascular

infection has a stronger relationship with education level.

Limited Healthcare Access

Rural heal is a significant component of a health system that performs well. However,

Guyana is ranked poorly regarding the basic indicators of health as compared to the neighboring

nations. Basic healthcare services in the interior of the state are non-existent to primitive and lack

some essential procedures. Although the health profile of the country falls short when comparing

Guyana with the Caribbean nation. While universal healthcare prevails in Guyana, free health

resources and facilities cover most of the population. Nearly 90% of the people in Guyana live

on the coast, whilst just 10% reside on the rural outskirts. Individuals in rural areas face low

economies of scale, creating an imbalance between efficiency and access to health. As a result,
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healthcare providers and funding in the coastal areas are significantly more concentrated. There

is little access to health care for people living in Guyana since few health centers are located

beyond the coastal areas. People in remote areas have limited access to healthcare. However,

Guyana has a universal health system; in comparison to Western countries, the health standard in

Guyana is poor. The system is unable to provide specialized medical services and sophisticated

tertiary services, and technology that is not affordable in Guyana and lacks specialized

physicians and specialists. The country has ten hospitals that belong to the public and private

corporations and dispensaries, clinics, and diagnostic facilities in other areas.

Furthermore, there is insufficient sanitation and medical services in these facilities.

Outpatient care is also limited, for example, diagnostic services, laboratory and radiology, and

preventative and curative dental clinics. Although basic health care services have been improved

slightly, including rural areas in the last several years, people who live in distant and remote

locations have limited or no access to doctors and hospital specialist therapy. Emergency

Medical Services are not available in all Guyana districts and towns (EMS). Furthermore,

insufficient medical personnel is available in these places.

Although public health services have improved, hospitals are provided with outmoded

medical tools and equipment. This is because there is not enough cash to access particular

medical equipment in places where it is most necessary. The Government of Guyana seeks

universal health care access, although medical resources are problematic due to its extensive

geography and lack of funding. Charitable organizations, for example, have given healthcare

facilities over the years to fill the gap (Mitchell 2020).. Lack of healthcare and experts adds to

people succumbing to NCDs because they cannot receive care or there is no one available to

provide it. The increasing NCD epidemic in Guyana partly reflects the consequences of urban
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growth, globalization, population aging, lifelong behavioral changes, and limitations in current

efforts to promote health care, prevent diseases, diagnosis, and control.

Cultural influences and diet

Out of more than 57 million fatalities in 2008, NCDs are recognized to be an increasing

international challenge of social, economic, and public health. In 2005, over 35 million chronic

diseases caused deaths around the world. Mortality of prenatal and nutritional disorders is

anticipated to decrease by 2015. However, chronic disease-related deaths are forecast to increase

by 2015. In recent decades, the top five causes of mortality have included cerebrovascular

illness, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease. Poor diet and a lack of physical exercise can

manifest in humans as high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high blood lipids, and obesity.

There are metabolic risk contributors to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of early death

in the United States.

Patients' healthcare choices are influenced by their culture, religious beliefs, and ethnic

customs. Culture is defined as body language, belief, and behavior that consists of various

components such as acts, language, conventions, and values. Individual health is also affected by

one's attitude about healthcare and health concerns (Persaud 2021). Positive attitudes regarding

healthcare, for example, might be considered as a facilitator for improving one's health. On the

other side, negative attitudes to healthcare are barriers to improving an individual's health.

Numerous Guyanese pointed to the fact that they made choices, particularly health-related

decisions, with the help of family members and others close to them. It helps increase the

morbidity rate because people also decide not to go freewill to doctors.

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While there is significant progress in the health status of many countries in OECD, there

has been a lower improvement in the life expectancy in the preceding years due to financial

constraints and different challenges faced in the healthcare systems. The country is making

strides to improve the accessibility of better healthcare. The interventions to reduce health

inequalities include improving health service, public policies, social policies, and macro-

economic policies, as well as immunization coverage of private transports. Each of the problems

can be addressed by heightening education and public awareness, increasing foreign relations

and financial investment. Despite the fact that non-communicable diseases are not transmissible,

it is essential to reduce the number of individuals with the disease (Jagnarine & Jagnarine, 2019).

Guyana made a massive improvement to the healthcare system. Raising provider and public

awareness of ethnic and racial disparities in care, expanding and improving the number and

capacity of providers in the community, as well as providing education to improve the

knowledge base on intervention and causes to reduce the disparities. Guyana has progressed in

implementing international health care and regulations through its compliance in areas including

zoonotic events, human resources, financing, policy, and legislation. The successfully trained

health personnel and successful immunization program have been attended to almost all births to

reduce both the infant and maternal mortality rate. Some of the focus areas include increasing

access to health care and interventions for both the elderly and young adults.

Conclusion

Despite the willingness to improve the health care and living standard of individuals in

Guyana, the country is facing challenges in many areas. Healthcare disparities are taking a turn

for the worst due to a lack of resources internally and the disinterest in the abroad nations.

Political instability and racial tension are distracting the fulfillment of rights and better health
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care for children. Poverty is one of the main factors promoting health disparities in the economy

of Guyana. Individuals from minority families may not have the chance to receive a

recommended health state and preventive healthcare available for minorities. Minorities mostly

enroll in health insurance plans, which limits the covered services offering limited healthcare

services. This promotes childhood difficulties and malnutrition, which force children and young

adults to work to cater to the needs of the family. Guyanese are still suffering from major

noncommunicable diseases, and the leading cause of death include heart disease and diabetes.

The mortality rate for children in Guyana is still high. This is influenced by malaria and

malnutrition resulting from the deficiency of iron anemia. Environmental, socioeconomic, and

personal characteristics also promote health disparities. This includes ethnic and racial

segregation, poorer living conditions, lack of quality basic education, stereotyping, and cultural

factors. Environmental factors such as poor infrastructure, pollution, and natural disasters like

flooding are the main influential reason for the high mortality rate at an alarming rate. As it

relates to healthcare disparities and staggering statistics in Guyana, the mortality rate of chronic

and noncommunicable diseases is dramatically exparated due to government regulation, lack of

infrastructure, and poverty.

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References

Akpinar-Elci, M., Rose, S., & Kekeh, M. (2018). Well-being and mental health impact of

household flooding in Guyana, the Caribbean. Marine Technology Society Journal, 52(2),

18-22.

Bidulescu, A., Francis, D., Ferguson, T., Bennett, N., Hennis, A., Wilks, R., & Sullivan, L.

(2015). Disparities in hypertension among black Caribbean populations: a scoping review

by the US Caribbean Alliance for Health Disparities Research Group

(USCAHDR). International journal for equity in health, 14(1), 1-11.

http://www.archive.healthycaribbean.org/UNHLM-HCC/Caribbean-NCDs-Fact-Sheet.pdf.

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/guyana-healthcare

Jagnarine, T., & Jagnarine, K. (2019). Emergency Readiness in Primary Health Care–A Case

Study of Seven Health Centers with Family Medicine Residents in Guyana.

Mitchell, H. (2020). Guyanese Women's Experiences of Invisibility in Health Care in

England. Frontiers in Sociology, 5, 23.

Modeste, N. (2019). The impact of trade liberalization on export supply and poverty in Guyana:

Evidence from cointegration analysis. The Review of Black Political Economy, 46(3),

230-249.

Persaud, H. (2021). THE CULTURE FACTOR: The Effects on Healthcare Decisions Among

Guyanese Men. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 14(1), 7.

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Rambarran, N., Goodman, J., & Simpson, J. (2021). Providing Care to LGBT Patients in

Guyana: An Assessment of Medical Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Readiness to

Learn. International Journal of Sexual Health, 33(1), 18-28.

Wilson, L., Wilson, C., & Johnson, B. (2010). Race and health in Guyana: an empirical

assessment from survey data. Caribbean Studies, 37-58.