Three multifaceted studies are expected to aid in grappling with the high rate of suicides in the country, a mental health conference heard on Monday.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 248 men and 68 women in Guyana died by suicide in 2019 resulting in the country having one of the highest per-capita rates of suicide. However, experts on the ground believe the 315 reported suicides are not reflective of the reality of Guyana’s situation.
Professor Christina Hoven, a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology in Psychiatry at Columbia University in the US is of the opinion that the number is severely underreported owing to misclassification of suicides. She proffered her opinion at the opening of the Guyana Mental Health and Well-being Conference on Monday.
